We arrived at San Pedro Sula airport after our time in Guatemala. San Pedro is a hot city in many ways, but the humidity and heat live up to its reputation, so we didn't linger long before heading to Peña Blanca, our first stop. The road to Peña Blanca winds between asphalt and yellow hues, giving way to lush and spectacular vegetation as we approach Lake Yojoa. Very close to its shores is Beneficio San Vicente, one of the main producers of specialty coffee in Honduras. After greeting all the staff at the mill, Darwin Moreno waited to take us up to the fabulous Santa Bárbara mountain, where his cousin, Marvin Enamorado, was also waiting for us.
Darwin and Marvin belong to the Moreno family of coffee growers, led by their grandfather, Don Pedro. The small village of El Cedral is nestled in a valley between two hills, where coffee cultivation has provided a sustainable livelihood for its people. Both producers are very young, and their farms are no larger than one hectare, but the quality of their coffee is excellent. We have purchased their last three harvests, and the plan is to grow together. Last year, we undertook a project to improve their facilities and paid a bonus of €1/kg extra for the construction of their own new coffee dryers. This will give them greater control over the process through an air extraction system that prevents overheating.
Both have an excellent eye for detail, both in their field practices, promoting the sustainability of the area (they've planted native trees that provide shade for the coffee plants), and in the fermentation process. Therefore, our contribution also included a pH and Brix meter to help them achieve more consistent results. This year, they used the Kenya process. This process allows the coffee to develop more complex notes and richer fruitiness.
The other family we work with in the neighboring area of "Las Flores" follows the same process. Doña Florencia Paz is quite elderly, and her son Olvin has taken over production on their farm where Bourbon Nance, commonly known as amarillo, grows. This year, to join forces, we've purchased not only Doña Florencia's entire harvest but also some bags of Olvin's fruit to further strengthen our partnership.
The above explains why we believe so strongly in direct dealings: we can see the extra work in R&D and meticulousness in the processes that leads to continuous improvement in the raw material. This creates added value in the product, benefiting the entire chain. If we don't keep producers motivated, specialty coffee will simply not make sense.