As 2024 comes to an end, we at Royal New York would like to express our gratitude for every experience and opportunity we’ve had this year. Our traders were fortunate to travel to origin many times and work with some amazing people along the way. Plus, they tasted thousands of coffees and teas to make sure we offer you the best there is! To wrap up another year, our traders shared some of their best moments in coffee & tea from 2024.

Best of 2024: Coffee Origin Travel

Evan Kluender — Costa Rica

In 2024, I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica on a coffee buying trip. During our week there, we visited coffee farms as well as micro and macro mills, spent time with producing partners, and cupped some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. One of my favorite parts of origin travel is seeing the amount of pride coffee producers take in their work. Getting to cup the fruits of their labor with them on the farm or mill where their coffee is grown or processed is both a tremendously special and humbling experience.

The trip had a lot of highlights. If I had to pick one, then I’d choose visiting Café La Cumbre. Café La Cumbre is owned and operated by Nancy and Minor Jiminez, 4th generation coffee farmers in San Marcos de Tarrazu. I think what made them so interesting to me was how a very clear passion for their craft and ridiculous level of knowledge and experience translated to some of the most ingenuitive engineering I’ve seen at origin. This was evident from sustainable farming practices to unconventional and high sorting standards, even down to the building materials they chose for their custom mill and dryer. Everything about Café La Cumbre screamed quality and attention to detail, and it showed in the cup. All the time and effort constantly put into improving their farm and mill is intentionally done to make life easier for their three daughters.

Overall, this was a wonderful trip with wonderful people. The amount of perspective I gain every time I go to origin is invaluable. I’m very grateful to work in an industry that affords me the opportunity to see firsthand how much effort goes into creating a product that is often taken for granted.

Mike Ward — Colombia

The highlight of my year has to be traveling to Colombia and spending time with two of our longstanding partners, Pergamino in Antioquia and Cuatro Vientos in Huila. It was such a rewarding trip. We cupped some incredible coffees and went out to the farms to see firsthand the care and effort that goes into every harvest.

Being there, surrounded by the landscapes and people who make it all happen, really hit home for me. It reminded me why I love this industry so much. It’s about more than coffee—it’s about the connections and stories behind it all.

Rick Borg — Ethiopia

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia, which is one of my favorite places to visit. My last visit was over 4 years ago. This time, we traveled to areas in Sidamo where I’ve never been and visited some washing stations we’ve been familiar with for many years. We also went to some exciting, newer washing stations that have been experimenting with different processes, like black honey and anaerobic.

The coffees were fresh on the table as many had only been picked a few weeks prior. However, the subtle flavors that came through while cupping led us to believe that 2025 will be a great year, quality-wise, for specialty grade 1 coffees. Keep a look out and communicate with your trader to check in on upcoming arrivals as we will have returning and newer lots available in the new year!

Camilo Yubank — Guatemala

This year, I had the opportunity to pay a long-overdue visit to our friends at ASOBAGRI (Asociacion Barillense de Agricultores) in Barillas, department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. One of the highlights was meeting the dedicated farmers of ASOBAGRI. These passionate individuals shared their stories and the cooperative’s history, which began in 1989. Their commitment to sustainable and organic farming practices was evident in their work. I was particularly impressed by their efforts to promote biodiversity and combat climate change.

Beyond coffee, ASOBAGRI’s impact on the local community is profound. They run various social initiatives, including literacy courses and women’s health programs, which have significantly improved the quality of life for many families. The cooperative’s Youth in Agroforestry program is also noteworthy, fostering the next generation of environmentally-conscious farmers.

This trip deepened my appreciation for the hard work and dedication that goes into every cup of specialty coffee. The farmers’ resilience and commitment to sustainability left a lasting impression on me. I encourage everyone to support ASOBAGRI by enjoying their exceptional coffee and contributing to their ongoing efforts.

Andrew Blyth — Guatemala

Looking back at 2024, my coffee highlight for the year was my first trip to the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. As Camilo mentioned, we met Royal’s longtime partner and supplier, ASOBAGRI, and we also met a new partner cooperative, Guyab.

I’ve been in the industry for 20 years. It feels like a long time to me, and though it’s just a fraction compared to many of our industry leaders, I still find myself marveling at how coffee moves around the globe. Visiting ASOBAGRI after buying and selling their coffee throughout my entire career was very special. But there’s a reason we don’t visit more frequently as a company…the long travel.

Many places in coffee are remote, but I typically view Central America as accessible. ASOBAGRI, however, was a challenge. Multiple planes, small and large, layovers, hours on rough roads, etc. And then I remind myself of the monumental task our producing and exporting partners need to go through day in and day out to grow, maintain, pick, process, and transport our coffee. This will never stop being a small miracle in my eyes, and I want to always remind myself of the effort it takes to produce our beloved beans.

Best of 2024: Coffee & Tea We Cupped

Joe Borg — Rwanda Cyesha Washing Station Fully Washed

East African coffees hold a special place in my heart, mostly because of how great the coffee is, but also because of the people and culture behind them. While I have visited a few countries throughout Africa of the last few years, I have yet to go to Rwanda. Hopefully, that will change in 2025—stay tuned!

This coffee from Muraho Trading’s Cyesha washing station is one that we’ve had for a few years now. The consistency has been excellent, with its bright, stone fruit-like sweetness and a tart-like, juicy finish. Muraho Trading was founded by two brothers, Karthick and Gaudam. We have found Cyesha to be one of the better washing stations to work with, not only for washed coffees but natural ones as well. The high altitude, volcanic soil, care at the farm level, picking ripe cherry, and care in processing allow all the inherent flavors to come through elegantly in the cup, year in and year out. New crop is arriving any week now for both washed and natural processed coffees from Cyesha, and these coffees usually don’t last long!

Preview Joe’s 2024 Favorite — RNY # 57433

Caitlin Schiessl — Organic Hojicha Powder

Organic Hojicha Powder is a roasted Japanese green tea, ground into a fine powder like matcha. It’s prepared in the same way, but it has a very different flavor profile. You can pour your favorite milk over or drink it alone!

This tea is like a roasty-toasty cup of cereal—think Cheerios. It also pairs very well with chocolatey and nutty flavors, perfect for a rich, stellar latte. Since it’s low in caffeine, you can even make yourself a nice, evening latte!

Shop Caitlin’s 2024 Favorite — Organic Hojicha Powder

Mike Romagnino — Ethiopia Washed Yirgacheffe Hailu Abebe

My favorite coffee of 2024 is a washed offering from Ethiopia. This coffee comes to us from producer Hailu Abebe and is sourced from the Chelchele washing station in the famed Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia.

I was impressed with the integration of flavors and the crisp, clean acidity that was present in the cup with noticeable hints of peach, kiwi, and honey that translated to a sweet, floral finish. This offering is available in 22lb. boxes on the Royal NY Line Up.

Shop Mike’s 2024 Favorite — RNY # 56613

TJ Salvatore — Organic Bali Blue Moon Wet Hulled

This coffee comes from the hidden gem within Indonesia—Bali. To expand coffee production in Indonesia in the 1970s and 80s, the government instilled programs and distributed coffee seedlings to local farmers. Thus, creating an island-wide coffee-growing campaign that let to producing heavy-bodied, sweet-profiled coffees.

I really admire this coffee’s bold body and rich profile. I like to call it the coffee lover’s hot chocolate” due to its profoundly sweet, chocolatey profile. It’s a great holiday dark roast to give you that warm, fuzzy feeling!

Shop TJ’s 2024 Favorite — RNY # 57189