Project MK9s
crowd crafted coffee for the mk9s service dogs nonprofit
In spring 2021, Project Buna produced a crowd crafted coffee project for MK9s Service Dogs, a Northern Virginia nonprofit that provides highly trained service dogs to veterans. MK9s is an awesome organization with a heartwarming mission, and proceeds from each bag of Project MK9s coffee went to supporting this charity!
Between March and April, volunteers and community members of MK9s came together online to learn about the world of specialty coffee and design their very own roast, from origin to custom packaging. Below are details about the various selections the group made. Cohort members included: Michele Khol, Carol Khol, Michael Stoddard, Barbara Rosecrans, Kimberly Mutty, Mary Knoll, Jill Baker, Elaine Marshall, Kathleen Emery, AnnMaria Laurenza, Curtis Khol, Kinga Niecko-Samuel, Anthony Alexander, Betsy Abdeen, Martha Peacock, Sarah Brown, Mike Turner, Holly Desmarais, Mary Dearing, Terri Smith, Jennifer Rochlis, Joanne Charles, Gary Seigel, George Swygert, Mark Weller, Stephanie Patton, Bob Tobin, Suzanne Ager, Ivan Seigel, Susan Van der Veer, David Pineda, and Judith Boott.
The cohort kicked off with a live video call, and quickly decided in their first vote to source the coffee from a country in the Western Hemisphere. The group then had to select between Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. After learning all about these countries and their coffee producing regions, the group voted for Ecuador!
Country information
Ecuador is a relatively late addition to the coffee world, with the first plants not arriving until the 1860s. The majority of coffee from this country is exported as a part of the soluble (instant) coffee market. Along with coffee beans, the country is also known for producing cacao, bananas, mangoes, citrus fruit, sugar, avocados (from which they produce avocado oil), and rice. The coffee trees are often planted right alongside these other crops!
In recent decades, more investment from specialty coffee has encouraged growers to produce higher quality specialty grade plants. Ecuador has a great degree of biodiversity, and the higher altitude regions produce exceptional coffees that are highly sought after.
Specialty grade coffee from Ecuador is well noted for a pleasant yet strong sweetness. With Ecuador as the chosen country, the group selected between two specific farms and lots of coffee. The group chose coffee from a producer named Maria Guetio in Imbabura, which you can read all about below.
Region Information
Located in the northern mountains of Ecuador, the Intag Valley lies in the Imbabura province. With a population of approximately 16,000, the primary industries in the region are mining and oil. Home of the Intag Cloud Forest Reserve, this growing region maintains a virtual year-round spring time climate. The farms in this area produce specialty grade coffee that is almost exclusively shade grown. Due to the other industries in the area, coffee production remains a smaller cash crop output compared to the nearby coffee giant Colombia.
Farm DEtails
Producer: Maria Guetio
Altitude: 1800 meters above sea level
Producer / Importer Grade: 86 / 87 (SCA Standards)
final product
Once the specific coffee was contracted and received, Project Buna sample roasted the beans several different ways and shared the flavors with the group during a virtual “cupping.” After careful consideration and much discussion, the cohort voted for a medium roast profile that highlighted the nuanced origin flavors of the coffee while still fitting the bill for a dark-roast drinking Marine in the group! The final product smelled and tasted of dark chocolates, bright red fruits like raspberries, and toasted almonds.
The members also chose an all-black bag for their packaging, and Project Buna produced custom labels with the MK9s logo and mission statement.
After the cohort members received their coffee, additional bags were made available to the public in our online store, and $5 from every bag sold went straight to the MK9s Service Dog 501(c)(3) charity. This project produced a great coffee and supported a great cause with over $1,000! Although it is unfortunately now all sold out, you can let us know at the link below if you’d like to organize your own crowd crafted coffee project!