WHAT IS FLORES

The name Flores is an abbreviation of “Coba da Flores”, a name used by Portuguese sailors not because of flowers but rather by the colorful coral reefs that surround the island. There is 1.5 million people living on the island and mountain elevations reach nearly 2,500m (most of Flores coffee are grown in between 1200-1600m).

The island is replete with many active and inactive volcanoes and it is these volcanoes that have created especially fertile soils ideal for organic coffee production.

THE BACKGROUND OF FLORES

Up until 2005, Flores coffee was not known for its quality as it was processed in a simple dry process and being sold as an extender of blended coffees. However in 2005, with US$40,000 of financial assistance from the ICCRI (Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute), the farms have started implementing the full-washed and semi-washed process which has improved the quality of their coffee tremendously. Much of the production in Flores is organic and today 12 neighboring farmers’ cooperatives are certified to market organic coffee.