The Gran Galope project was started in Colombia to separate out the very top tier of the large quantity of offerings that don't quite make our Regional Select (86 points) cut. These coffees would otherwise be blended away and sold at street market prices. Instead, we have created a program that separates a consistent and strong level of quality, creating a staple in our offerings and paying a premium to farmers that deserve reward for their hard work.

We pay a premium based on cup scores; higher score equals higher premium.

90 points is over $4.00.

88 points means a micro-lot premium.

86 points equals our Regional Select premium.

Before Gran Galope the other coffees, anything below 86 (that's where most of the coffee lies), received the FNC street price. In today's market of about $1.20, this standard price is simply an unfortunate break-even price for an entire year's-worth of what we all know is hard, committed, and disciplined work.

So today we are pulling out the top lots from those still-solid but lesser cupping coffees (think 84-85 points), paying a premium to the farmer and bulking them together to make full containers of delicious, rich chocolatey Colombian coffee.