Coffee in Nepal is only about 20 years young. The country produces approximately 30 containers annually–more than half is kept for domestic consumption. This dynamic drives high government-guaranteed minimums. Moreover, production is difficult; heavily terraced gardens require a lot of labor in a place where labor is hard to come by. With such small volumes and costly production, the challenge is getting qualities up to where they can compete. The strategy here is an outgrowers scheme: We get behind a few small estates who are committed to quality and to supporting their neighbors’ growth. Our principal partner, Lekali Estate, has a Q certification, an SCA-certified lab, and a reputation for being the expert on quality in Nepal.