Origins
Guatemala
Guatemala is located in Central America, with Mexico to the northwest and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast.
Before the arrival of the Spanish, many Mayan cultures thrived in Guatemala, and their culture, food, rituals, and beliefs continue to shape the country today. Modern Guatemala is a mosaic of cosmopolitan urban centers and communities steeped in Mayan tradition and culture - and at its center is coffee, a crop with strong roots in the country’s economy and history. Guatemala is colorful, complex, and breathtaking in all its many coffee-producing regions, and though its past has been difficult at times, its future is full of promise.
Colombia
Colombia is one of the world’s top producers of Arabica coffee, and over the years the country has become synonymous with quality coffee.
The country has nurtured its coffee industry over the years and the spirit of innovation is strong; new coffee varieties and processing innovations have come from Colombia as well as classic, balanced lots beloved by coffee drinkers. Most of the country’s coffee is grown by small producers scattered in its many coffee growing regions. These coffee growers in rural Colombia have seen decades of low-intensity political conflict between paramilitary groups, guerrilla groups, and the government, though a peace deal approved in 2016 made great strides in the peace and reconciliation process.
El Salvador
This small country, situated along the Pacific Coast in between Guatemala and Honduras in Central America, has long attracted attention from the specialty coffee world for its quality and willingness to innovate.
El Salvador’s most popular coffee varieties are Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara - varieties which command attention on the cupping table.