(from our time capsule – originally posted in our newsletter in 2018 as we were just getting started with Luna)
Welcome March – we’ve missed you.
Greetings from LÜNA! If you’re just joining us, we’re a tiny (but mighty) company that’s all about delightful coffee and the weird and wonderful world of those who love drinking it.
Apologies to those who are not living in the lower mainland or on the Island, but SPRING IS HERE! We were a little overzealous and have already tilled our garden, and threw in a few old seeds to take a swing at the proverbial slot machine we call ‘March in Vancouver’. So far we’re feeling lucky. Nope, that’s not all though, over at LÜNA HQ, we’re pumping out more delightful coffee than our modest projections have indicated, and we are over the moon about it.
Speaking of moons, though we try not to talk too much about them (it’s in our name after all, and it’s easy for it to come off as campy), there are two full moons this month. There are a few anecdotes on why LÜNA was the name this little bootstrapped company should have, and yes, it does indeed have to do with coffee growing, but I’ll leave that for another time.
We’ve been busy working connections with friends to make sure the vision of bringing only the coffees that make us smile make it to your cup. In fact, there are a couple coffees I want you to keep an eye out for next month. Don’t worry, I’ll point them out when they are released.
BIG news – LÜNA is named a finalist at SCA Design Lab
In tandem with the flood of documents studiously being filled out for Futurpreneur (stay tuned for the verdict on that!), I decided to throw my hat in the ring and to seriously punch above our weight by entering LÜNA into a design exhibition called Design Lab, held in Seattle, concurrently with the Specialty Coffee Association’s Expo April 19-21st. We’re one of around a dozen finalists out of hundreds of submissions received – SO. WILD.
Obviously, it feels like LÜNA has already won, but this year, there will be a first place awarded to each category, so hey, keep your fingers crossed for that too! Why not?
Where to find LÜNA this week
Hey Happy on Lower Johnson In Victoria, BC – They are carrying retail bags of both Disco Marmalade and Electric Lime. A little bird told us they threw some Disco Marm in the hopper to pull shots of the filter roast as espresso…. and we heard it was so freaking tasty.
The Cannon in Hamilton, Ontario – This happens to be my hometown, and they have some Disco Marmalade on Aeropress, and in retail coffee for home.
Birds and the Beets in gastown – Retail bags of Disco Marmalade and Electric Lime as well as Electric Lime on drip (ask for it!)
Aubade in Chinatown – Retail bags of Disco Marmalade & via Pourover
So far, LÜNA has been the conduit of our vision: Bring beautiful, bright coffees, with a focus on light roasting – coffees that highlight articulation with clean and clear flavour, to people who want to have a delightful coffee in the morning. That’s it. Simple as that.
-Nate
LÜNA
On rotation
The back story…
This story starts in the early 2000’s, in the Santa Barbara region of Honduras. Here, with winding dirt roads, and steep mountain-slopes are tight-knit communities, who (at that time) had a terrible reputation for producing the lowest quality coffee in the country.
The closest dry mill (Beneficio San Vicente) regularly received wet parchment coffee from these families, and due to the state it was received in, not picked ripe or processed well, its fate was to be sold in the local market all blended together.
Then one day everything completely changed. In 2005, when a young Benjamin Paz began working more closely with his family at the dry mill, they decided together to try working with one of the producers up the mountain range, entering a specially prepared lot into the Cup of Excellence competition.
The day when that lot took an astonishing first place (!!), it was a paradigm shift for the people of Santa Barbara -That moment was the start of a new reputation as high-quality coffee producers.
Fast forward years later – Routinely, Santa Barbara coffees place in the top 10 and often win. In fact, Ovidio Gomez (who grows this coffee) placed in the international auction for COE in 2011.Ovidio Gomez is part of a lineage of 4 generations all producing coffee. He’s got 4.4 hectares cultivating Pacas, Catuai and San Ramon (we have the San Ramon, a Typica strain). Ovidio began producing coffee in 1995 and has seen with his own eyes the complete shift, allowing Santa Barbara to not only shed its reputation for bad coffee but to attain the well-earned reputation as the most respected and award-winning regions in Honduras.
This coffee from Ovidio Gomez has a lovely lime acidity. cardamom-like spice, and a honeyed sweetness. As a selection of 100% San Ramon cultivar, this coffee is a lovely example of the Santa Barbara region and is shared here as Electric Lime.
DISCO MARMALADE
This coffee from the Bishan Fugu community, assisted by Hambela estate, has flavours of bright bergamot and is intensely sweet (think white grapes). These heirloom varieties are a stellar example of the Guji region and is shared here as Disco Marmalade.
The back story…
In 1934 Ethiopia, a young woman named Muluemebet, with equal parts fierceness and confidence overcame the odds and became Africa’s first female pilot. She flew an aircraft called the Tiger Moth a number of times a week over Addis Ababa and was determined to complete her pilot training and start a career. Her efforts were almost unbelievable at a time
when it was nearly impossible as a woman to get your drivers license.
In a twist of fate, Italian troops invaded Ethiopia in 1936, forcing Muluemebet into hiding (she was on their hit list). Trading in your dream for the domestic life seems a bit anti-climactic, but what happens next involves moving forward to today, this coffee and a continued legacy.
Ethiopian government awarded Muluemebet land as recognition for her efforts during the war and decades later Aman Adinew, her grandson, is entrusted with this same land – Hambela Estate.
The Adinew family manages Hambela Estate with the same drive that Muluemebet showed as she learned to fly all those years ago. They not only employ the local community complete with healthcare but also provide agronomy assistance for smallholders. The quality of the lots produced under the guidance of Aman and his team are consistently gorgeous and vibrant.