Masaba Coffee – or, what happens when Africa meats Italy in Switzerland

A small Swiss Start-up is making quite an impact in the coffee drinking community. Their  booth shows up on some of the coolest events:  They served coffee at the prestigious «Festival Media Global in Montreux»; warmed people up at in the Maggia valley, during their «Movies under the Stars»; served black and white coffees at the LDV Art Gallery  in Locarno,  during the «Black & White Experience» or stylishly served their  coffees between test driving the latest Land Rovers, Range Rovers or Jaguars in the Swiss Alps. The brand has partnerships, among others,  with Energy Radio, Slow Food and the «Accademia Italiana Maestri del Caffè» and is very active on Twitter.

But who IS Masaba?

At first, Masaba is the ancestral father – which is the local name of Mount Elgon, in Uganda. In this fertile land a Swiss NGO is working with some 7000 farmers to produce excellent coffee, based on the principles of fair trade and organic farming. The NGO provides selected seedlings, consults on quality matters and invests in infrastructure. The locals, on the other hand, guarantee that only the ripe, red coffee beans are harvested, giving the green ones time to ripe. The fully aromatic beans are shipped to Genova, then roasted to perfection in a family owned facility near Como. Only small quantities are roasted at a time, to guarantee the best aroma and fresh, tasty coffee.

If you love beans, you can choose among the following:

• Masaba – Espresso Pure
• Mokaflor – Classical Blend
• Savannah – Espresso Gold
• Cerrado – Espresso

A special range for Bars and Restaurants is also available.

If you prefer pods, you have the following choice:

• Classic
• Masaba Pure
• Savannah
• Espresso Italiano
• Cerrado
• Decaffeinato

Now, those who know me are fully aware that a) I am a coffee addict and b) simply cherish my Handspresso. So guess what I did when I first learnt about Masaba Coffee?

Sure enough: I settled down on my terrace to sample this very special coffee!

First thing I noticed when I opened the individually wrapped pod: a beautiful smell! Very intense – coffee to inhale! The 44 mm pods fit snuggly into the Handpresso (I mention this, because some providers have bigger pods – 44 is the max. my handheld espresso maker can handle), the coffee runs through smoothly, forming a nice foam. Again, the smell is lovely – just what the doctor ordered …

The coffee is very strong indeed: The Italian influence is pretty strong, the coffee slightly bitter. Now, I am not so much the espresso type myself, but I can see why this coffee has found many fans in such a short time: It is really  intense and rich in aroma and has a very individual character.  Together with the clever marketing and the selected partnerships, this brand is set to go a long way – to the benefit not only of the Swiss Start-up, but  to all the local farmers involved.

If you’d like to try Masaba Coffee, subscribe as a coolbrander right now by simply sending an e-mail to: buzz@coolbrandz.ch

This post is also available in: German, Italian