Today, after spending time at one of the many local parks with friends, the group headed to Cafe Britt to take a coffee tour. After our coffee tour, we had a delicious lunch to fuel up before dance lessons. After getting warmed up from some salsa, merengue, bachata dance, a large portion of the group and I went for a run together with the rain as our cool down.

Surprisingly, today I learned that coffee is not Cafe Britt’s most popular export; in fact, it is actually chocolate. I predict that this is because they have fewer strong competitors with gourmet chocolate than with coffee. I also learned how Britt differs from Doka in its place in the coffee supply chain. Whereas Doka, a coffee plantation, acts as more of a supplier and factory, Britt deals more so with distribution and retail. For instance, at the Doka tour, we went more in depth about how the coffee was grown, harvested, and processed. At the Britt Tour, we learned about distribution.

Concerning sourcing, my groups focus, Britt sources from roughly 8000 different plantations. Climate change affects sourcing because when conditions are dry, less coffee can be produced, reducing profit as well. Relating to sustainability, although Britt spends a large portion of its carbon footprints through its packaging, it has recently encouraged customers to return their bags for reuse. In addition, 65% of their energy is solar energy. In 2024, they invested $100 million in solar energy. Similar to Doka farms they also utilized low quality coffee plants for biofuel as well as propane and natural gas. If I had to approach sourcing differently than Cafe Britt, I would invest more in researching sustainable packaging. Although most biodegradable packaging can release aromas absorbed by the coffee bean, perhaps a natural wax coating could prevent this.

Finishing the day off with dance lessons was definitely a highlight. I initially struggled with spinning, but after some practice and intense focus, it began to click. I can’t wait to continue practicing my skills!