Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is the second most populous country in the Caribbean. Located at the meeting point of the northern Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean, Cuba is an island rich in culture and history. Coffee, introduced to Cuba around 1748, quickly became one of its major commodities. However, production peaked in the 1950s and has since experienced a significant decline. Today, efforts are being made to revive the Cuban coffee industry with a focus on quality and sustainability. To learn more, I spoke with Michele Cannone, Global Brand Director of Away from Home at Lavazza.
A Brief History of Coffee Production in Cuba
Cuba’s complex history has significantly influenced its coffee production. The island was under Spanish colonial rule from the 15th century until the late 1890s. Although slavery was abolished in 1886, the US occupied Cuba until 1902, when it became independent. Coffee was first brought to Cuba in 1748 by José Antonio Gelabert, who established the first coffee farm outside Havana with seeds from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
In 1791, French colonial powers fleeing the Haitian Revolution arrived in Cuba, introducing more formal farming practices. They established the first coffee farms (cafetales) in southeast Cuba, now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. This led to a boom in Cuban coffee production.
“Coffee production significantly increased during the 19th and early 20th centuries,” Michele explains. “In the mid-1950s, total production reached a record of more than 20,000 tonnes per year.”
As coffee became more significant for Cuba’s economy, its coffee culture also became more established. By the early 1900s, there were over 150 coffee houses across the island, serving iconic drinks like café cubano, now popular in cities like Miami and Tampa in the US.
However, following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, production declined significantly. Under the new communist government, agriculture was nationalized, and many coffee farms were replanted with other crops. The 1962 US trade embargo further restricted potential buyers for Cuban coffee, leading to rationing. Despite these challenges, coffee has remained a staple of Cuban culture.
Reviving the Cuban Coffee Sector
Despite its complex past, Cuba’s coffee sector has seen changes in recent years. Michele shares that the country produced between 9,000 and 11,000 tonnes of coffee in 2022, according to International Coffee Organization data, with around 1,500 tonnes of arabica exported. “Arabica accounts for up to 60% of the Cuban-grown coffee market, with robusta comprising the remaining 40%,” he says. Common arabica varieties include Isla 6-14, Isla 6-11 (both resistant to coffee leaf rust), Bourbon, and Caturra Rojo.
To support local farmers and improve coffee production, the Lavazza Foundation has been working with 247 producers in the Santiago and Granma provinces. The project aims to increase coffee quality and yields while improving socioeconomic sustainability. The second phase of the project began in 2022, focusing on five environmental and social sustainability goals:
- Forest preservation and improvement of agricultural practices
- Obtaining organic certification and providing formal training courses
- Improving Cuban coffee quality
- Women and youth empowerment initiatives
- Improving equity in and shortening the supply chain
“Traditional coffee supply chain models in Cuba included many intermediaries with little emphasis on transparency,” Michele adds. “One of our goals was to streamline the supply chain to improve resource and value distribution.” These efforts have resulted in the La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba organic espresso blend, containing coffee sourced from communities supported by the Lavazza Foundation.
Preserving Biodiversity and Promoting Sustainability
Sustainability has been a significant focus in the coffee industry, and Cuba is no exception. In 1959, only 12% of the country had forest coverage due to monocropping. Recently, Cuba has committed to restoring forests and protecting biodiversity, ranking fifth on the Sustainable Development Index (SDI), a scale measuring the ecological efficiency of human development.
Michele explains that Lavazza Foundation’s approach is based on long-term collaboration with producers to support sustainable development in local coffee-growing communities. The La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba blend includes coffee grown in protected areas and national parks such as Parco Nacional Pico Turquino, Parco Nacional Pico Cristal, and Parco Nacional La Gran Piedra.
Improving Cuban Coffee Quality
Improving coffee quality is essential to revitalizing Cuba’s coffee sector. Lavazza Foundation and Lavazza’s R&D experts are collaborating to enhance coffee quality. These efforts include adopting new technologies, such as sensors to monitor environmental factors like air temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed, and soil moisture, to optimize farming practices.
The Lavazza Foundation has also opened 34 training facilities across Cuba to share farming best practices, including techniques used in organic coffee production.
Processing Methods
Post-harvest activities can account for up to 60% of final coffee quality, making processing a critical part of the production process. Michele notes, “With experimental processing techniques becoming more prevalent in specialty coffee, more producers are using these methods to create unique flavor profiles and improve quality.”
In Cuba, Lavazza R&D supports local producers in implementing controlled fermentation processing across robusta lots. This involves using selected yeasts to enhance complexity and sweetness, creating flavor notes of milk chocolate, almond, and a sweet wine-like aftertaste. The La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba blend includes 65% washed arabica, 25% washed robusta, and 10% robusta fermented for up to 72 hours. The fermentation process is strictly monitored for time and temperature to ensure optimal flavor development.
Transportation conditions are also regulated to preserve coffee quality. Since shipments take three to four weeks to reach their export destinations, temperature and humidity are constantly monitored using sensors in shipping containers.
Embracing Transparency and Traceability
Specialty coffee consumers increasingly value transparency and traceability. One effective tool for achieving this is blockchain technology, which creates a secure digital ledger or database for recording transactions. Once data is added, it cannot be changed or deleted.
“La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba is the first Lavazza product with integrated blockchain traceability,” Michele says. “This solution provides full and transparent information on the coffee’s journey from field to cup, across all stages of the supply chain.” Consumers can learn more about their coffee, including:
- Farm location and size, as well as varieties grown
- Data about harvest times and climatic conditions
- Post-harvest processes
- Shipping information
- Roast date
Customers can scan QR codes on the La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba packaging or visit the website to learn more about the blend and Lavazza Foundation’s approach to supporting farmers.
Looking to the Future
Cuban coffee producers need significant support to improve quality and yields. If they receive this support, Cuba’s coffee sector holds much promise. As the quality of Cuban coffee improves, farmers may be able to sell their coffee to more competitive markets, increasing their income.
With a strong focus on environmental protection and social sustainability, Cuba’s coffee sector has the potential to return to a position of success in the global coffee market.
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