Fundraiser Update 2026

At ICR, we kicked off 2026 with a Latte Throwdown Fundraiser that was so much fun! What a beautiful showing of camaraderie, generosity, and talent -  $1116.50 was raised all together!!

It is a joy to share that 100% of the funds have been invested in time for this year’s production at the notably remote Medina family farm in Huila, Colombia! In specialty coffee, poor drying and processing can ruin an otherwise excellent coffee. The funds raised have been allocated to the purchase of a hybrid solar dryer and post-harvest processing kit that is installed to help:

Protect Coffee and its Quality

  • Prevents mechanical damage to beans

  • Reduces risk of defects, mold, and bacterial contamination

  • Water and climate resilience

Preserve Sweetness and Clarity of Flavor

  • Monitors over- or under-fermentation

  • Helps identify the ideal drying endpoint

  • Prevents over-handling of coffee

Reduce Losses 

  • Occurring from uneven moisture content

  • Resulting from sudden intense weather events

  • Navigating marketability and pricing pressures year-after-year

Minimize Environmental Impact

  • Reduces water usage

  • Promotes uniform drying

  • Faster drying time

Enhance Workflow Planning & Consistency: 

  • Reach target moisture more reliably, even during volatile weather patterns

  • Handle larger harvest volumes

  • Yield consistent cup quality and reputation that buyers can rely on

We’re honored to be connected with budding specialty farmer, José Luis Medina, who is the first of his family to take the risk of cultivating specialty coffee. Both he and his product must take a 45-minute horse ride across a mountain and river to reach the nearest road before the coffee can begin its journey to market. These investments will help preserve the coffee and its absolute yummyness during its long journey to the final cup. 

With tremendous gratitude to:

  • Felipe Trujillo of Ventola - who will not only oversee the administration of funds in Colombia, but also be a coach and mentor in the process

  • A fantastic community of coffee professionals showing up, including our friends from -  Helm, Blue Mind, Illumine, and Ascend

  • The awesome coffee lovers that tried their hands at our concurrent home barista throwdown

  • All the fans who cheered, joined the raffle, and bid on lattes!

And sponsors who donated for a robust raffle of coffee gear, including: Prima, Royal New York, Rishi, Created Co, La Marzocco, Barista Magazine, Joe's Butcher Shop, Fellow, and notNeutral.

p.s. 2026 harvest and first fermentations underway!!

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