Utz Kapeh

Posted on February 6, 2007 by

What is it? You tell me. I just discovered it myself. Apparently the Mayan translation for Utz Kapeh is “good coffee”. We’ve all heard of Fair Trade, we’ve all heard of Fair Trade’s shortcomings, and we’re all familiar with the more progressive “Direct Trade” concept being championed by such heavyweights as Geoff Watts in Chicago. So what’s the deal with Utz Kapeh? Apparently it’s a system conceived using an unprecedented amount of web based traceability that tracks the beans from the farm to the roaster, and every set of hands along the way. Becoming Utz Kapeh certified requires coffee growers to pass a strict code of conduct evaluation based on “economic, social and environmental criteria for responsible coffee production“. At the end of the day the system is all about total transparency/accountability, higher than “fair” wages, a stronger commitment to specialty coffee, and a better product.

As far as I can tell, this could be some groundbreaking stuff. But I don’t know that much about it yet and I’d be willing to wager that none of you do either.

Do you?

  • Kevin C

    If you wager than none know much about it, you might lose. But not to me. It’s not a cert I can explain off the top of my head yet.

  • Carie “K”

    Utz Kapeh…sounds like a Mayan potato chip company to me.

    Here I am on the road and missing Brooklyn several times a day. Hard to coffee safari on the road, due to limitations of time and transportation. However, the Frick Building in downtown Pittsburgh, right down the street from our hotel, houses a cafe kiosk called Intermezzo Coffee and a Synesso! Double Macchiatto: two thumbs up! So happy…so caffeinated…so on my way to Houghton, New York and more hotel coffee. But Friday is Washington, DC and, hopefully, a visit to Murky Coffee, Capitol HIll!

    KIsses to the Bk crew.

  • http://shotzombies.com/ Mike White

    kisses back. we miss the special “k”.

    I think it sounds more like a Yiddish potato chip company.

  • http://samuelcrane.com sam

    makes me think of this:

  • http://samuelcrane.com sam
  • http://shotzombies.com/ Mike White

    them’s some good eats

  • http://aldocoffee.com Rich W

    A 5lb bag of Black Cat for anyone who tags the Utz sign on the Yankee Stadium scoreboard with “Kapeh”.

    Bail money not included in offer.

  • caroline

    We just got some coffee in from 49th Parallel that is “Utz Kapeh” certified.
    It confused someone who initially thought it was the name of the farm!

  • http://browncoffeeco.com aaron

    i know a grower in africa who is utz kapeh certified and he said it was way difficult, but wasn’t quite sure yet whether the process (read: the price for certification) would be worth it, as not many people yet know about it.

    there was a big article on it in tea and coffee magazine about a year ago…jan issue i think.

  • http://browncoffeeco.com aaron
  • http://browncoffeeco.com aaron

    er, uh, what i meant to say was that that link will take you to their website, from which you can search the archives and find the article in the jan/feb 06 issue about zambia. there. i said it.

  • http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2007/02/utz_kapeh.html BirdBarista

    It’s more common in Europe, and the strength lies in their recordkeeping and traceability requirements. Criteria for environment, etc. are pretty lax, because they rank their criteria by whether they are required, partially required, or only recommended. I posted about it as it pertains to the environment.

  • Rebecca

    Hey Mike White,

    Nice site. How are things over there in good old Brooklyn?

  • http://www.caffe-intermezzo.com Caffe Intermezzo

    “However, the Frick Building in downtown Pittsburgh, right down the street from our hotel, houses a cafe kiosk called Intermezzo Coffee and a Synesso! Double Macchiatto: two thumbs up! So happy…so caffeinated…”

    Thanks for visiting us! Our Frick Bulding shop (437 Grant Street, Pittsburgh) does in fact house Pennsylvania’s 1st Synesso Cyncra (woo-hoo). We also have a location in the Strip District (2018 Smallman Street). Espresso drinks are our specialty and we serve Intelligentsia Coffee- typically Black Cat or Kid-O Espresso Blend along with a nice variety of brewed coffee and much more. Check out our blog for more info- http://www.caffe-intermezzo.com. Thanks again I’m glad you enjoyed your visit!

  • NS

    Why don’t you web savy people check out the website to learn that it is one of the most watered down certification frameworks on the market? All it accomplishes is putting another notch in the belt of large retailers while imposing more costs on producers. When I tried to record an interview with an Utz Kapeh representative in Guatemala City, he told me he would have to contact the company lawyers back in Holland. So, unfortunately I had to write down all the information he regurgitated from their promotional brochure And where did you get the idea that Geoff Watts is an industry “heavyweight”? The alternative specialty coffee market is a drop in the cup of the world coffee industry.

  • http://shotzombies.com/ Mike White

    Maybe we should get rid of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration too. And for the record, we deal primarily in the alternative specialty coffee market. Yes Geoff doesn’t work for one of the Big Four. That’s a good thing.