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Home » Volcanica Coffee Review: The Best Online Coffee Retailer?

Volcanica Coffee Review

Buying coffee online can be a bit like a lottery.

Are the sellers as passionate about coffee as they seem, or are they just riding the current coffee cash cow? Will you get great beans, freshly roasted and quality checked as promised?

Volcanica Coffee is a site that makes those promises. The company offers beans from some of the best growing regions in the world. Great coffee however, doesn’t come cheap.

Does Volcanica have something really special to offer then?

Who are they?

Volcanica positions itself as a supplier of gourmet coffee. Focusing on single origin beans, the company only buys coffee grown at high altitude and on the slopes of volcanoes (hence the name).

A family-run business with a clear set of ethics, Volcanica takes great pride in its customer service.

All orders are roasted just before dispatch, and Volcanica keeps its prices as competitive as possible.

If you’re looking for a gourmet experience, tasting the best coffee from around the world, Volcanica might be just what you’re looking for.

Important things To Consider Before Choosing An Online Coffee Store

Buying coffee online isn’t easy. To get the best flavour from coffee it should be brewed within 2-5 days of roasting. When you buy online however, it’s hard to know when the beans were roasted, and how they’ve been stored since.

You also don’t know if you are really getting the beans you’re paying for. If you can’t look a salesman in the eye it can be difficult to know. Buying online also means you can’t read the small print. Is that ‘Kona blend’ you just ordered only 10% Kona?

Volcanica is a site for coffee enthusiasts who are truly passionate about coffee. Its for those who are interested in exploring the nuances that different locations bring.

It’s also a good choice for ethical consumers who are looking to buy from a family run business that takes care of their farmers and considers the wider environmental impact of coffee production.

If you value transparency, Volcanica publish their reviews (1), which are managed by Kudobuzz.

If you’re buying your coffee online, here are a few things you should look for in a supplier:

  • Pick a supplier who roasts in small batches, and ideally just before they ship (You don’t get the same problems if you roast your own).
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your supplier should be more than happy to share the details of where their coffee comes from. Check the website for clues as to the operator’s ethics; are they fair trade, for example.
  • Word of mouth is always the best way to choose a supplier, but failing that look for a website that publishes reviews.

The Volcanica Review

Volcanica Coffee Logo

Some of the best coffee in the world is grown in volcanic regions. It’s not just the altitude, it’s the andisol (2) – soil that has formed in volcanic ash making it an incredibly fertile growing medium.

Volcanica specialises in coffee that has grown in these areas, above 3,000 feet in height (and as high as 7,000). They say their coffee is remarkable and ‘unlike any you’ve ever tasted’. That’s a big claim; can they back it up?

PROS

  • Coffee from some of the most highly regarded growing areas of the world
  • Beans roasted to order and packaged to keep flavour intact
  • The company has clear ethical and environmental standards

CONS

  • This is a specialised store, not for your everyday brew
  • The majority of the beans are Arabica – this not a site for Robusta lovers
  • Christian ethos may not appeal to everyone

They Are Picky About The Source

Volcanicas sources its beans from some of the most famous coffee making areas of the world. Those areas are famous for a reason, they have the right conditions to produce coffee with well-rounded flavours.

Like Lifeboost Coffee, the vast majority of coffees they sell are organic, single origin, keeping the flavour profiles pure and giving you the chance to experience those differences.

Mayon Volcano

Browse their range and you’ll find coffees from Jamaica, Kenya, Nepal, Costa Rica, Kona and Malawi. These are some of the most famous coffee growing areas of the world, and you can have the chance to explore and compare from the comfort of your own living room.

They Roast Fresh And Dispatch Quickly

Freshness isn’t something you can expect from coffees you can find in the grocery stores or Amazon, like Lavazza, Illy, and others. If we had to pick the quality in a supplier that makes the most difference to the end product, it would be this. As we said earlier, the flavours in coffee degrade quickly once it’s been roasted and you have a two-week window to enjoy it at its best.

Traditional Coffee Roasting 1

Volcanica roasts their beans based on estimated demand, and the coffee is dispatched to you as quickly as possible. The roasted beans are packed in a foil bag with a one-way valve, slowing the decline in flavour as much as possible so when it gets to you and you pop that seal, you’re in for a treat.

They Are Considerate Towards Farmers And The Planet

Farmers

Coffee farmers often get a raw deal when it comes to trading their magic beans for cash. Producers around the world use their purchasing power to force prices down, and that makes farmers cut corners which has an impact on the surrounding environment.

To get more from their crop, farmers are growing their beans in full-sun. How you make your plantation get more sunlight? You cut down the trees that create shade, and are a habitat for animals and insects.

Some are comparing the environmental impact of the increase in coffee (3) production to the increase in monoculture production of soy and corn.

Volcanica establishes relationships with their farmers. The company pays above average prices to get the finest beans, so farmers can earn a respectable living.

They also make sure their farmers preserve the surrounding rainforest, understanding it’s not just about shade but about the nutrients these plants add to the soil which benefits the flavour of the coffee.

It’s A Family Business

Charity Hope Faith

Volcanica is proud to be a small business that invests in its relationships outside of the company. They have family values, which also happen to be Christian values.

You may or may not share their faith, but it motivates Volcanica to consider the farmers and environment as described above.

They also donate what they describe as ‘a large portion of the profits’ to Christian charities.

Don’t Forget GREAT Prices

Volcanica is proud of its competitive prices. The brand claims to sell 16oz of premium coffee for the same price that other retailers charge for just 8.

Combine that with their offer of free postage for orders of more than 4 bags, and that’s quite a saving for the very best coffee.

THE VERDICT – What Do We Think Of The Volanica Coffee Company?

It’s hard to argue with a company that sources the best coffee, treats farmers and the planet with respect and then does the same to you.

Volcanica Coffee review

By roasting your coffee after you order, and packing it so it gets to you with optimum freshness, Volcanica Coffee is doing everything right.

The brand is truly appealing to the gourmet market, with single origin coffees from the top locations. This is serious coffee, something to savour not just to chug back at the beginning of the day to give your brain a kick start.

If you’re coffee curious, and you want to explore gourmet coffee from around the world at a reasonable price, Then visit Volcanica Coffee now.

  1. Customer Coffee Reviews Retrieved from https://volcanicacoffee.com/pages/coffee-reviews
  2. Four Degrees | What’s Geology got to do with it? 2 – Coffee Retrieved from https://blogs.egu.eu/network/4degrees/2013/10/24/whats-geology-got-to-do-with-it-2-coffee/
  3. The Coffee Industry Is Worse Than Ever For The Environment | HuffPost India Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sustainable-coffee_n_5175192
Julia Bobak
I love trail running, rock climbing, coffee, food, and my tiny dog — and writing about all of them. I start every morning with a fresh Americano from my home espresso machine, or I don’t start it at all.