Caribbean provisioner embarks on mission to redefine superyacht coffee

Caribbean-food distributor Reid’s Speciality Trading Co has embarked on a mission to recalibrate the luxury lifestyle for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) by educating superyacht owners and crew on the benefits of serving certified Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee on board.

As one of the world’s most distinguished coffee varieties, managing director Robert Reid believes Jamaica Blue Mountain will go a long way to improving the taste and quality of superyacht coffee, while reducing the environmental impact of the single-use coffee pods widely served in the industry.

Beginning with the yachts visiting the Caribbean before moving on to Mediterranean cruising grounds, Robert plans to introduce superyacht crews to the Coffee Roaster and Ridgeline brands that the company supplies.

Robert said, “Our mission to educate the luxury hospitality industry on Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee was brought about when we spoke with superyacht captains, chief stewards and crew at the 2017 Antigua Charter Yacht Show. We heard them speak so proudly about serving guests cheap, unrefined pod coffees when what’s known as the champagne of all coffees could be flown in fresh from around the corner.”

Grown 2,000 feet above the Caribbean Sea on the Blue Mountain ridge, and harvested only once a year, certified Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is rare and unique, offering a distinct-yet-mild flavour free from any bitterness or sharp edges. The coffee is typically harder to source than other varieties, commanding it a higher price that Robert states to provide a “more-than-value-for-money experience”.

He said, “This coffee is a little harder to source than pod coffees and their counterparts, but drinking good coffee is not an act, it’s a lifestyle; it gives an unforgettable taste experience that the owners of luxury yachts and guests of high-end villas and restaurants are sure to remember, making it a worthwhile investment.

“It also negates the need to store coffee pods and bulky machinery on board, and is a much more environmentally friendly option than other coffees on the market: Crew and guests can rest easy knowing they are lessening their contribution to the degradation of the environment, caused by throwaway, single-use coffee capsules.”

To get international delivery of this exceptional coffee in time for the winter Caribbean-cruising season, Robert recommends that superyacht crew, head chefs and provisioning companies place their orders via the Reid’s website by mid-October for delivery starting in mid-November.

Robert plans to attend the 2018 Antigua Charter Yacht Show in December to continue his education of the superyacht industry with a number of crew-tasting sessions.

For more information, visit Reid's Speciality Trading Co.