( &&& meet ed humpal: fair, direct trade coffee-roasting crusader )

meet ed humpal: fair, direct 

trade coffee-roasting crusader

by amy strauss

previously, on first friday celebrations of bridge street in phoenixville, ed humpal, coffee roaster of kimberton whole foods, joined chad williams of handcrafted cookie company to offer his signature "pingos" paired perfectly with the organic company's sweet treats.

     

humpal, who is individually progressing the local coffee revolution, has known williams for years, as he supplied his cookie dough to kimberton whole foods before he opened his cookie boutique on main street.

     

"reaching out to the food service, we have a thing where we can both help one another," said humpal. "by establishing little networks, the area becomes more local and more sustainable."
     

it came as no surprise that humpal decided to work closely with the cookie company after returning from a barista competition in anaheim, california, as he was inspired to recreate the intense construction of fine, foamy espresso beverages that were there tackled as straight shots.

    

"macchiatos are known as straight espresso drinks with a little half-and-half and foam on top," he revealed. "in portugal, the same drink is called a "pingo."
     

a past coffee-and-dessert pairing of humpal's included a sweet, strong vanilla pingo with handcrafted cookie company's double chocolate cookie. additionally, humpal prepared a pinch-perfect and snappy ginger pingo nicely with a customer-created lemon basil cookie.
     

"lemon basil is so crazy," he confessed. "i was dreaming of the flavor of lemon and decided that ginger and lemon are both complementing and contrasting. it is so fun to work on menus; i love working with places and establishing pairings with their menus."

besides the relationship that humpal has with handcrafted cookie company and of course, kimberton whole foods, he additionally works with good eatz in reading, the anselma farmers’ market of chester springs, the king and beaver café in york, espresso yourself of exeter, and camphill café of kimberton hills.

"i like giving up the idea of sending coffee out on trucks," he said. floored by the concept of "real food, real people," humpal, with the assistance of kimberton whole foods, established direct trade bonds with coffee farmers seen internationally.

( photographs courtesy of amy strauss ) 

"there is so much done wrong in coffee by now in the world—many are looking at these direct relationships because they move faster and more directly," humpal said. “it is my intention to invite you to an adventure around the world with me, at least in hearts and minds gathered around a coffee pot.” 

through direct trade methods, international farmers are able to, with the consumer, establish true and tangible relationships that allow for them to receive a decent living wage as a grower, while the consumer's produce is received as top quality.

"other roasters are doing this, too," he said. "together, it enables specific relationships for the future of the children of the farms, so they may go out to universities and come back to the farms, and have control."

serendipitous with the missions that kimberton whole foods supports, owner and founder terry brett suggests that "if all businesses were built on fairness, we would change the world. having direct relationships with the people like the growers, it follows the values that we support as a company," he said. "being supportive of these people initially allows for a more direct relationship with them."

since brett agrees with similar beliefs as humpal, it was an easy transition for kimberton whole foods to establish him as its main roaster.

"we have just begun to open arcs for more relationships, finding more people we want to work with, and we believe in what ed follows," he said. "it is a great opportunity and only the beginning."

humpal, personally taste-testing through all roastings, which are performed in kimberton whole foods' warehouse in leola, works week-to-week, freshly fulfilling orders on a rolling basis.

"we continue to roast more and more coffee; everyone continues to order more than they used to," said humpal.

identified under the moniker, hobo ed—a name birthed from his previous mobile roasting service seen throughout the theater festival circuit—humpal supplies those adoring of caffeine with blends like the morning mojo, a south american coffee with an ethiopian highlight, midnight special, a french light roast, the el amor de madre, a caramel blend of brazilian and nicaraguan, and several other new and interesting concoctions.

to find his coffees at its mainstay, head to kimberton whole foods in douglassville at 1139 ben franklin highway west, at 2140 kimberton road in the town of kimberton, or online at www.kimbertonwholefoods.com.