About Founder - Coffee and Love

"Together, let’s shape a sustainable legacy— one tree, one bird, and one cup of coffee at a time."

Lynn is driven by a deep connection to nature and a vision for redefining coffee. From her roots as a fourth-generation coffee producer to her expertise in Fine Robusta, she has forged a path that is innovative and authentic. A childhood immersed in her family’s estate and a background in Wildlife Conservation shaped Lynn’s respect for biodiversity and sustainable practices. Her bold fermentation techniques, using microbes to craft reproducible flavor profiles, reflect her relentless pursuit of excellence.

BACKGROUND

Lynn Mascarenhas, of St. Margaret Estate, grew up surrounded by coffee and wildlife. This inspired her pursuit of a master’s in Wildlife Conservation Action. While conducting a research project on the “Diversity of Birds in Forests and Coffee Plantations,” she discovered that despite the higher diversity of birds on her family’s estate, there was a notable absence of ground-level birds for about a month and a half. She discovered that this period coincided with the estate’s weeding practices. Seed eating birds which thrive at ground level completely avoided the estate during this period. This insight inspired St. Margaret Estate to adopt fully sustainable cultivation methods, including reduced weeding, the use of berry borer traps, and the complete cessation of pesticides. Through this journey, Lynn developed a deeper connection to coffee cultivation and the daily rhythms of the plantation. Observing other planters transition to specialty coffee, she realized her estate was ready for the same step. With guidance from Binny, St. Margaret Estate embraced specialty coffee, and today Lynn continues to manage the land and its coffees with care, intention, and a commitment to sustainability.

Nuance

With Frozen Cherry, the full potential of fermentation is unlocked by dipping the cherries to sub-zero temperatures, revealing a depth of flavor in the old Peridenia variety, reminiscent of sweet fine wine, juicy grapes, and rich cocoa nibs. The result leaves a lingering impression of elegance and complexity. Koji’s emerged through the careful application of molds, crafting delicate nuances of pear, lemon, muskmelon, and peach, revealing profiles that transcended its original characteristics while capturing the very essence of the bean. Better With You showcased the dynamic relationship between juicy cherries and bacterial impact on the final cup, where a secret inoculation was added, bringing forth unexpected notes of rosemary, thyme, and, most notably, raspberries and prunes.