Now that the United States and Cuba have normalized relations, people are hurrying to go before the country becomes a tourist trap. But coffee aficionados won’t have to go to Cuba to partake in Cuban coffee. It’s coming to the U.S., at least the Nespresso version is.
According to Eater, Nespresso is going to sell coffee pods made from Cuban coffee beans in America starting this fall. This is possible because back in April, the State Department updated its list to allow Cuban-produced coffee to be imported to the U.S. This is after President Obama met with Cuban leader Raul Castro to call for an end to the trade embargo between both countries.
In other words, Nespresso is bringing authentic Cuban coffee to the United States for the first time since the trade embargo was established in 1961. The product will be called Cafecito de Cuba and will first be sold as a limited edition. The company is also partnering with a nonprofit called TechnoServe to see how they can build a sustainable partnership with independent Cuban coffee farmers. If all goes well, they hope to make Cafecito de Cuba a permanent part of the Nespresso line.
Soon Americans will get to know if Cuban coffee actually promises the quality it connotes, though the fact that it’ll be served in a Nespresso pod might complicate matters. Cuban exiles might be less excited, though. As Eater pointed out, many of them already drink Cuban-style coffee served in cafes across the country, using beans from somewhere else.
(via Eater)
