Building The Bridge: Homage Coffee Source
Building the Bridge:
Jake and I are building Homage to operate as a bridge between authentic coffee producers in East Africa and the global coffee market. A bridge exists to reconcile or form a connection between two things, and its structure is upheld by bonding multiple components in a deliberate arrangement. To be effective, a bridge must be a dependable and efficient means of connection. With this concept in mind, Homage was born to facilitate fruitful connections between producers and the global coffee market, transforming meaningful relationships into equitable partnerships. By upholding an honest and effective supply chain, Homage cultivates opportunity for collective growth both locally and abroad.
Why East Africa?
Prior to starting Homage, we worked in East Africa in multiple capacities from producing to buying green. Throughout our time working in the region, we have lived and worked in various operating environments, experiencing the local coffee supply chain from the inside out, learning its strengths and weaknesses. Along the way, we’ve built strong relationships with incredible people in Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda who work tirelessly to produce exceptional coffee. We believe in these producers, the work they are doing, and their future. We are proud to partner with these producers to elevate their craft to reach its full potential, and advocate on their behalf, promoting their coffee in the marketplace.
What Is Homage?
Homage: Noun [hom-ij]
- Something done or given in acknowledgment or consideration of the worth of another
- Anything given or done to show reverence, honor, or respect
Great coffee is a work of art and does not happen on its own. It is created, cultivated, procured and prepared specifically for its purpose. While the masterpiece itself inspires a response, the honor and praise belong to those who created and cultivated its value. With this in mind, our key motivation is to honor and promote specialty coffee and those who cultivate its value throughout the supply chain.
Our Objective:
Our key objective is to create more pieces of pie than we take, utilizing each piece we take to create more pie. We understand this will not happen overnight, and we at Homage, must be sustained in order to sustain long-term collective growth and development for others. But, by effectively allocating our time and resources to strategic operations and equitable partnerships, we will see:
- Increased access to market for producers
- More extensive quality control practices at the farm and washing station level
- Sustained growth trajectories for each producers’ operation
- Greater financial opportunity for the producer and roaster through diligent price evaluation
- Increased access to useful information, elevating understanding and awareness
- Stronger cohesion throughout the supply chain, generating opportunities for collective benefit
- Expansive opportunity to make a lasting impact in communities locally and abroad
Jake and I are excited for the journey ahead. This is only the beginning, stay tuned.
- Keaton