This Guatemalan coffee is our first Central American offering and we were pleasantly surprised with the taste. It can be best described as a slightly fruity coffee with hints of Blueberry, Cherry, Maple Syrup and Cocoa. If that sounds yummy, you are absolutely correct.
There are plenty of obstacles encountered when cultivating coffee from the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. The terrain is rugged and the weather is extreme, but coffee grows well here at mile-high altitudes. The indigenous family farms average just a few acres in size and use their own micro-mills to process their harvest. This allows for meticulous care in cherry selection, depulping, fermenting, and drying the coffee.
In addition, using materials like coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers has helped reduce the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar, and at the same time, creates an abundant source of fertilizer that ensures better yields and quality. UNEX, their export partner, has also established funds for mobile clinics that can provide healthcare in the most remote indigenous communities; a win-win for all.