A trip to Papua New Guinea wouldn’t be complete without at least one cancelled flight, and ours came early. The connection out of Port Moresby didn’t take off, pushing everything back by a day. If you’ve been to PNG before, you’ll know that’s all part of the deal. Nothing runs exactly to plan, but everything eventually gets where it needs to go. That includes us.
From Tuesday through Friday, we were based in the Eastern Highlands with the teams at New Guinea Highlands Coffee Exports (NGHCE) and InterAmerican. InterAmerican is a specialty coffee importer we’ve worked with for years, helping us source traceable, quality coffee from producing countries like PNG.
I was travelling with Sam Gabrielian, our Head of Coffee. While Sam has been on so many sourcing trips he’s lost count, this was my first, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. We set up base in Goroka. The days were packed with visits to mills, cupping sessions, and long drives through the hills, all in service of understanding the people and processes behind the coffees we serve every day.
NGHCE has been exporting coffee since the early 90s and now plays a key role in connecting PNG’s smallholder farmers to specialty buyers. Most growers here farm less than a hectare, and the supply chain is anything but straightforward. But NGHCE is helping to bring structure to the system. We saw investment in centralised wet mills, farmer training, and transparent processing, all aimed at improving quality and building long-term relationships.
The hospitality we received throughout the week was incredible. Thank you to Dave, Joeri, and Joe for showing us around, sharing stories, and giving us the chance to experience PNG through a broader lens than just coffee.
At NGHCE’s facility, we followed the full journey from parchment delivery to grading, roasting, cupping, and contracting. Their focus is on creating a better system for farmers, buyers, and the coffee itself.
One of the most memorable moments was visiting Konkua Okipa, an organically certified village of smallholder producers. We were welcomed with a traditional ceremony and big smiles all around. Later, we spent time with Benny, a long-time partner of NGHCE. He walked us through his garden, spoke about his heritage, and introduced us to the famous Asaro Mudmen.
Coffee from across the Highlands arrives at NGHCE, where it’s sample roasted, cupped, and graded. Once a price is agreed with the grower, the coffee is packed and trucked to Lae for export. Every bag is pierced at least three times before it leaves, a safeguard against the common practice of adding rocks or debris to increase weight. It’s one small part of the company’s broader effort to ensure quality and transparency at every step.
Most coffee grown here is still traded as low-grade parchment, with little attention paid to traceability or cup score. But that’s slowly changing. NGHCE is working to increase the volume of A-grade coffee coming out of PNG, and to support the people growing it through better tools, pricing, and access.
Later in the week, we made our way to Mount Hagen and spent a night at Rondon Ridge Lodge, perched high above the Highlands. Waking up to mist rising through the valleys was something special.
From there, we met up with the team at Sucafina, another long-time green coffee partner. Together we visited Colbran Farm, one of the most established coffee estates in the country. Run by Nichol Colbran, the farm sits at 1,600 to 1,850 metres above sea level and covers more than 220 hectares. It has been in the Colbran family for over 50 years, and you can feel that sense of legacy throughout.
Nic took us through the entire operation, from the nursery to the plantation, where a wide mix of varietals including Arusha, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Typica, and Geisha, thrive in rich volcanic soil. What stood out most was the attention to detail. From selective picking to careful drying, there’s a clear focus on quality and consistency. We wrapped up the visit with a cupping at the mill. The coffees were clean, complex, and full of character.
At Coffee Supreme, we source coffee through both New Guinea Highlands and Colbran for components in our Supreme, South, and Boxer blends. Visiting each of their operations gave us the chance to meet some of the people behind those coffees and to see firsthand the care and effort that goes into every bean.
Papua New Guinea is a beautiful, complex place. Like many visitors, I was struck by the contrast. The infrastructure can be tough, but the people find a way. It would be easy to reflect on this trip with a sense of guilt, but that doesn’t feel quite right. More than anything, I felt lucky to be there, to be welcomed in, to ask questions, and to see a part of the coffee journey that often stays invisible to us in Australia and New Zealand.
As a first-time visitor to origin, the experience was eye-opening. I came home with a better grasp of the supply chain, a new respect for the work it takes to grow and move great coffee, and a sense of responsibility to help share those stories the right way.
