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Comment by tsingy | Hacker News Reader

The farmer manager is likely how I will handle it. I have no interest in being a farmer (for now) but still want it as a business that I oversee, hence the need to learn at least a few things about how things work. I'll looking to hire people then. I realise it will be hard and will require a lot from me, but that's why I want to try, the new venture is exciting. Money is not a problem because I live in a third world country, labors and lands are still cheap.

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I'm into coffee and understand the processing bit. There is a real market for quality specialty coffee. What varieties are you growing?

It's 60% Robusta 40% Arabica.

Try to also find what specific varieties of Arabica, if you can. That matters a lot for specialty coffee.

There is not a lot of Robusta specialty, and for a reason: it isn't known for being great tasting coffee.

On the to do list. But here, not a lot is documented. I will probably have to call a lab when looking for certification in order to have a proper labelling when selling. That would settle it. I'll be more careful if later I have to plant though.

I actually prefer Robusta but it's getting hard to find since some marketing genious figured out that you could charge a little more with that "100% Arabica" on the bag.

The thing is, for Arabica to be good the roast has to be right and the brew has to be right. Robusta, not as flowery but it can take a lot if abuse and still taste quite good.

To most "coffee people"'s palette, Robusta is like burnt shoe leather strained through an old gym sock. Vietnamese drink a lot of it since they grow it there, and it's been successfully marketed in the US by "extreme amounts of caffeine" brands.

> for Arabica to be good the roast has to be right and the brew has to be right

But the OP doesn't have to worry about that, they just need to find a way to market their beans to a specialty roaster. Small batch single origin Arabica can make a tidy little profit.

> But the OP doesn't have to worry about that, they just need to find a way to market their beans to a specialty roaster. Small batch single origin Arabica can make a tidy little profit.

This, I'll probably switch to mainly Arabica as soon as I can (Bourbon and Arabica Elita)

Yeah. I suggest don't get into roasting. But definitely approach roasters with the robusta offering. Maybe they would be interested in doing a blend.

There are people who prefer robusta. Just .. not many.

Exportation and local consumption tends to mainly prefer Robusta. I prefer Robusta also, way stronger, wakes me better.

This is true. But there is plenty of good speciality robusta. It just tastes often like rubber! (Imo)

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