Coffee Travel: The Beauty, the Disconnect, and the Reality of Visiting Origin

Back in Panama: Reconnecting with Coffee at Its Source

After five years away from coffee farms (Dave), returning to Panama has been an experience that’s both deeply inspiring and strangely disorienting. There’s nothing quite like standing at the origin.  Seeing the cherries ripen, watching the processing firsthand, and hearing producers share their struggles, innovations, and passion. Tasting coffee in Panama, at its freshest and most vibrant, reminds me how hard coffee can be to produce.  It's always an honour to be able to taste these coffees in Panama or anywhere in the world.  Once you've been to origin, the connection to coffee deepens to a new level.

But alongside the excitement, there’s an uneasiness that’s hard to ignore. Coffee travel has an undeniable romanticism to it—capturing scenic landscapes, meeting producers, and posting snapshots that showcase the "exciting" side of coffee. Yet, in reality, the industry is more complex than what makes it to social media. Traveling long distances to buy coffee and document the journey often feels performative, especially when the challenges producers face climate change, labor shortages, market volatility and so much more...doesn't fit neatly into an Instagram post.

The Value of Coffee Travel

• A Deeper Connection to the Process – Seeing coffee production up close brings a new level of appreciation. The precision of drying beds, the art of fermentation, and the nuances of terroir all become more tangible when experienced in person.  That morning cup of coffee carries a deeper sense of appreciation.  The hard work, the passion, the up's and downs of an product that can be so difficult to understand.
  

• Strengthening Relationships – Meeting producers face-to-face fosters trust and transparency, reinforcing the partnerships that shape the specialty coffee supply chain.
  

• The Inspiration Factor – Tasting coffee at origin, in the very place it was grown, is unlike any other experience. As we expand our knowledge, our passion and connection deepens to another level.  Seeing processing firsthand, picking a cherry off a coffee tree these moments can only happen at the farm level.  Many baristas and coffee professionals don't get the chance to experience this firsthand.

The Discomfort of Coffee Travel

• The “Flatness” of the Narrative – Social media turns coffee travel into a highlight reel, often missing the realities of producer struggles. The nuances of pricing, labor, and sustainability get overshadowed by scenic farm shots and tasting notes.
  

• The Privilege and Uneasy Reality of Buying Coffee – It’s a strange contrast to travel across the world to taste some of the most outstanding coffees while knowing that many producers face significant struggles.
  

• The Cost of Hosting Buyers – While origin trips can be valuable for education and relationship-building, they also require significant time, energy, and financial resources from producers. Some buyers visit farms with no clear purchasing intent, which can strain producers who invest in hosting but may not see a direct return. A more thoughtful approach ensuring that travel has a clear purpose and mutual benefit can help balance the experience for both parties.

Making Coffee Travel Meaningful

Coffee travel offers undeniable value it strengthens relationships, informs quality decisions, and provides a deeper understanding of the supply chain. However, it’s not for everyone, and in many cases, it may not be the most effective way to engage with producers. The key is intentionality....travel should serve a clear purpose, fostering meaningful connections rather than just ticking off another destination.

True impact comes from what we do with the experiences gained at origin not just in discovering great coffees, but in using that knowledge to contribute to a more sustainable industry. Buyers should ask themselves: What value are they bringing to the producers they visit? Are they investing in long-term partnerships, sharing insights, or actively supporting quality improvements?

When approached with purpose, coffee travel can transcend beyond an exciting journey it can be a tool for driving meaningful impact. For those considering origin trips, the focus should be on mutual benefit: committing to transparency, ensuring their visits provide value to producers, and turning experiences into actionable support for the industry. Thoughtful travel leads to stronger relationships, better coffee, and a more sustainable future for everyone in the supply chain.

Reading: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured flashes of infrared light from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. These bursts reveal new details about how black holes behave and interact with their surroundings, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most mysterious forces in space

Watching: This investigative documentary explores the dark side of civet coffee (kopi luwak), uncovering the animal welfare, conservation, and human health impacts of its growing industry. Once a rare novelty, civet coffee has become a $10.9 billion market, leading to unethical caging and force-feeding of wild civets across Southeast Asia. This film is a call to action for the coffee and tourism industries to rethink their role in promoting this controversial product

Listening: Keys to the Shop. Hosted by Chris Deferio, this podcast offers valuable insights for coffee shop owners and baristas, covering topics like shop management, professional development, and industry trends to help listeners refine their skills and operations.

Brewing: Sippin’ on a cold brew and Geisha at Unido Coffee Roasters in Boquete, Panama. Floral and sweet just like us.

respond with a photo of your brew bar or get creative with an AI generated scene and we’ll feature and share in an upcoming week of BTD

Distance: Buy the Drip run club. Clocking some kilometers. Help us push a few more kilometers through this week?

Want to join us as we hit the road? Let’s connect on Strava! or, join our Whoop group - just respond to the email and let’s grind together!