Since the pandemic, the number of travelers to Jamaica has declined, from the 4.3 million visitors in 2019 reported by the Ministry of Tourism.

Many of those millions were returning Jamaicans who would bring the taste of coffee home to the Diaspora, by purchasing coffee in the duty-free shops at the airport.

“With a 60 per cent decline in our sales due to the pandemic, we’ve had to find ways to make it easier to bring Coffee Roasters of Jamaica to the coffee lovers all over the world. By expanding our reach with our Amazon store,” Fletcher said.

“It is one of the steps we’re taking to expanding in the US market and want our coffee to become a household name.”

Although known as a luxury commodity, Coffee Roasters has a coffee it believes can replace the more popular instant coffees on the market.

“At a reasonable price of US$28 for a 16-ounce, Coffee Roasters of Jamaica’s authentic is reasonably priced and still has the robust taste Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is known for,” Coffee Roasters said.

During September 2020, Amazon.com had over 2.44 billion combined desktop and mobile visits, up from 2.01 billion visits in February 2020. The platform is by far the most visited e-commerce property in the United States. (Source: Statista)

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee represents 60% of global production

In the misty Blue Mountains on the island of Jamaica, there’s a legacy of coffee growing on hillsides and valleys that span over two centuries. To be called coffee of the Blue Mountains region, it must be grown in a designated region within the Blue Mountain range – which encompasses the highest regions of the parishes of Portland, St Andrew, and St Thomas.

The coffee that grows on the sloping hillside, is the coffee Arabica plant, a species of Coffea. It is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, representing about 60 per cent of global production and ranked by World Atlas as the 45th top coffee producer in the world.

Country Traders is a small family-run business that supports local coffee farmers

In 1991, Country Traders Limited launched its family-run business, owned by Mark Fletcher, who wanted to bring his unique blend of coffee to the market.

In 2006, he was certified as a cupper so he could understand how to learn the subtle differences between the many components that give each cup of coffee its own distinct and signature flavour.

Today, he manages a team of 20 skilled workers. He is one of the original few coffee roasters on the island licensed by Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) – the government agency that meticulously maintains control over the quality of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Country Traders’ primary business over the last 27 years has been the roasting and distribution of Jamaica Blue Mountain and other Jamaican coffee in both the local and export markets under the ‘Coffee Roasters of Jamaica’ brand.

As principal, Fletcher tells the story: “We traditionally bought green beans from other processors but decided to begin purchasing coffee directly from small and medium-size farmers in 2013. We made this move to improve the consistency of supply and quality of raw material for our roasting business and to become exporters of Jamaica Blue Mountain green beans.”

Today, Country Traders is a well-established buyer in the Jamaica Blue Mountains and has acquired a farm in the Silver Hill area, which is in the heart of the Blue Mountain range. They continue to buy only the best quality gourmet coffee from small farmers throughout the Blue Mountains and export green beans to the international markets—such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China.

Coffee Roasters of Jamaica coffee has a distinctive taste

This intense flavour is indicative of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee which is so sought after by coffee aficionados because it isn’t like any other gourmet coffee in the world. It takes very specific, very precise growing conditions to produce Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee – which is unique to that part of the world.

Unusual volcanic soil, cool conditions, and the comparatively long 10-month period from bloom to harvest. It’s fundamentally impossible to replicate the kinds of growing conditions where the coffee thrives, meaning that while some may try to imitate its properties, there’s nothing quite like the real deal. 

However, for Coffee Roasters of Jamaica, which buys only from select local small farmers, the coffee beans are handpicked and have a meticulous roasting process that transforms their green coffee beans and brings out that outstanding well-bodied taste.

The Coffee Roasters of Jamaica brand from Country Traders, is known for its distinct flavour, one that is described as subtle and multi-layered with hints of honey, florals, and chocolate. Coffee Roasters of Jamaica— well known for their quality, rank high as one of the best Jamaican Blue Mountain coffees on the market.