Himalayan Rural Organic Coffee Welfare Association

Up here on Relly Road in Darjeeling, things move at a different pace. We are an association of local folks who deal with organic coffee grown in the surrounding hills. It is not like a regular shop you would see in a big city. Our office is simple, and we spend a lot of time talking to the farmers who bring their beans in. The air is usually cool, and sometimes the mist is so thick you can't see the road clearly. We work out of a modest building. There are always bags of coffee piled up in the corners, waiting to be sorted or sent off. We don't use fancy chemicals or anything, just natural methods. It takes more work that way, but everyone here is used to it. The road outside can get a bit muddy during the monsoon season, which makes transport a bit of a headache. We have a few old wooden desks and some files that are a bit disorganized. Everyone knows everyone else in this area. We drink a lot of tea as well, being in Darjeeling, but our main focus is the coffee beans. We aren't looking to be a huge corporation. We just want to make sure the rural growers get a fair deal and that the coffee gets to people who appreciate it. It is quiet work but very steady.