The E1 Project was established in 2015 and was our first direct trade program. The idea is simple: buy 1 coffee form one Estate and tell that story between grower and roaster, with complete transparency.
Since its launch the E1 project has grown to become the core component of our roastery. We have built on our relationship with the Lima family and returned to El Salvador every year to develop our partnerships in the region.
El Salvador, once the third largest coffee producing nation in the world has experience it's fair share of struggle; civil war, land reform, criminal gangs and Roya (coffee leaf rust) have all had devastating effect on domestic production.
Ricardo Lima is part of a generation of producers trying to revitalise this dying industry. By focusing on the specialty market and partnering with roasters like us, Ricardo is developing a sustainable future for the Salvadorian coffee industry that is stable and offers true longevity. This year we are expanding the E1 project to include all three processes Ricardo produces, Washed, Natural and his signature innovative 'un-washed'. This offers a balanced flavour profile, but also covers the full range of Ricardo's production and developments. In Ricardo's own words, 'Survival requires change, it's as simple as that'.