Interview with Jola Czerminska from 88 Graines
On this very special bonus episode of Source Code we are speaking with 88 Graines Co-Founder Jolanta "Jola" Czerminska. Prior to launching 88 graines, Jola began her career in coffee in Melbourne, Australia working for Market Lane & Axil Coffee Roasters and eventually, with business partner Agata Agata Pudelek launched 88 Graines. 88 Graines, which means 88 seeds, is based on creating a collaborative social model in coffee sourcing between small and medium coffee producers and independent coffee roasters / roasting companies / future barista champions in order to promote next generation of coffee producers, empowering women & families involved in coffee production and business. We first met Jola on a visit to Guatemala in March of 2020 (a week before the shutdowns) along with her partner Raul Perez which then resulted in Metric being the first US roaster to work with 88 Graines.
On today's episode, we are talking to 88 Graines Co-Founder Jolanta "Jola" Czerminska. Prior to founding 88 Graines, Jola began her career in the Melbourne coffee scene working for the likes of Market Lane and Axil Coffee Roasters and now with 88 Graines, she manages her time working with small coffee producers in Central and South America and this episode is coming out as a celebration for our first release- a H1 Variety from Guatemala. H1 CentroAmericano is the first release of a newer generation of F1 hybrid varieties That began to be distributed to growers about a decade ago. This variety is a cross of Rume Sudan, a disease resistant plant from the Bomb Plateau of South Sudan and Sarchimor T.5296. Itself a hybrid of the dwarf Villa Sarchi bourbon mutant and HDT (Hybrid de Timor) - A hybrid of Arabica and Robusta species that is the source of disease resistance for most modern coffee varieties.