{"id":29875,"date":"2018-04-13T10:00:56","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T10:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:dev.cafeimports.com\/blog\/?p=29586"},"modified":"2018-09-20T15:31:59","modified_gmt":"2018-09-20T15:31:59","slug":"origin-report-mexico-guatemala-2018-or-wont-you-be-a-neighbor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/2018\/04\/13\/origin-report-mexico-guatemala-2018-or-wont-you-be-a-neighbor\/","title":{"rendered":"Origin Report: Mexico + Guatemala 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.66″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”center” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/MexicoGuatemala_Header-2.jpg” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” animation_direction=”off” \/][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_color=”#686868″ border_style=”solid” max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ header_font=”Raleway|on|||” custom_margin=”||5px|” custom_padding=”||5px|” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n

Title<\/h1>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Intro” background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all”]<\/p>\n

Sometimes the easiest things to overlook are those that are right under our noses\u2014or, in the case of Mexico, perhaps right under our borders.<\/strong> Mexico should have everything going for it as a growing country: Its close proximity to the U.S.A. means shipping and receiving coffees is a relative breeze. It’s full of good varieties farmed sustainably, with a high percentage of certified coffees (both Fair Trade and organic). And it has huge<\/em> development potential from a quality standpoint. Yet Mexico has seemed to be passed over unenthusiastically for the past few years, considered best for \u201cbulk\u201d or blending lots that are hard to get excited about.<\/p>\n

Perhaps ironically, however,\u00a0Mexico\u2019s\u00a0neighbor to the south, Guatemala, is one of the darlings of the Central American growing region\u2014a reputation deservedly granted thanks to the exquisite profile and generally stable productivity there, of course\u2014but the contrast in impressions among the two countries has inspired us to ask whether the grass is really greener on the other side?\u00a0What difference does a border make? How can we bridge that gap not only in our perception of the coffees, but also manage to equalize them to and with our customers?<\/p>\n

A recent sourcing trip to the near-neighbor regions of Chiapas in Mexico and Huehuetenango in Guatemala offered us an opportunity to examine this question and check in on the status of both countries\u2019 crops this harvest, especially as they both work (in very different ways) to recover from several long years of hardship caused by bad weather and a resulting outbreak of coffee-leaf rust, which led to low yields and diminished quality. This year is promising to bring better quality and better output throughout the region, but we think a bit of neighborly support and comradeship could do wonders for the future of coffee here.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Mexico_Origin_Report_web-3.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” animation_direction=”off” \/][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Mex Pt 1″ background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all” header_font=”Raleway||||||||”]<\/p>\n

Mexico<\/h1>\n

Depending on who you ask in Mexico \u201cthe situation\u201d has been going on for something between 5\u20138 years now, though almost every producer knows exactly what \u201cthe situation\u201d is: A combination of less than ideal weather conditions (off-season rains, unexpected humidity, extreme cold) that made swaths of Mexico, especially Veracruz and Chiapas, particularly inhospitable to coffee but, conversely, very hospitable to coffee-leaf rust. Rust, or\u00a0Hemileia vastatrix,<\/em>\u00a0is a fungus identifiable by the yellowish spots it creates on leaves, and it essentially chokes the plant\u2019s ability to produce mature cherry.<\/p>\n

While the disease has been known (and has been deeply destructive) since the 19th century, outbreaks of it have waxed and waned over the generations. In the early 2010s, however, it waxed enormously throughout Mesoamerica, wreaking enough havoc for some producing nations to declare a state of emergency in the coffee lands. Climate change is to blame here: Wet and warm conditions are heaven for\u00a0Hemileia,\u00a0<\/em>and suddenly areas of coffee farms that were previously thought safe\u2014say, regions above 1,000 meters high, or those with cooler ambient temperatures\u2014were becoming infected as well, the disease thriving there like athlete\u2019s foot on the high-school locker-room floor.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, the coffees that are the most susceptible are also arguably the ones most interesting to quality-focused buyers and were among the most prominent found in Mexico: Typicas, Caturras, Bourbons. The country\u2019s long dominance of the certified-organic coffee market wasn\u2019t much help, either: Without aggressive agrochemical treatments and prevention, producers had no choice but to uproot affected plants. Many farmers replaced the coffee with altogether different crops; others simply walked away from the land. Those who decided to hang on with coffee weren\u2019t sure when they\u2019d see relief, and even now the numbers don\u2019t tell all: Mexico\u2019s yields, which had been at 5\u20136 million bags in the early 2000s, have dipped to about 3.5 million, with overall quality taking a hit as well.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Mexico_Origin_Report_web-5.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Mexico_Origin_Report_web-2.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Mex Pt 2″ background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all” header_font=”Raleway||||||||”]<\/p>\n

After several years of struggle, however, Mexico is finally on an upswing in both production and profile, thanks in part to widespread estate-renovation efforts and ambitious replanting of farms with more rust-tolerant or resistant varieties.<\/strong> Plants were comparably bursting with cherries this season, and the cups have been better than we\u2019ve seen in years\u2014yet, Mexico isn\u2019t out of the proverbial forest. The cyclical nature of supply and demand has farther-reaching implications than a simple equation of \u201cmore coffee = more buyers.\u201d<\/p>\n

For one thing, labor has been in increasing shortage since the rust outbreak, since pickers moved on to find other work that paid better and more reliably than the dwindling coffee sector could offer. Now that there\u2019s cherry, there are no hands to harvest it, which adds significantly to the cost of production as farmers desperately try to incentivize laborers during the season. \u201cThere was and still is like a crisis of confidence,\u201d says Omar Herrera<\/a>, Cafe Imports sales representative and manager of the La Bodega small-bag program. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t the coffee, they\u2019re confident about the quality now. The continuing struggle isn\u2019t necessarily the diseases and the plagues themselves, but kind of like the lack of enthusiasm, a lack of buyers, and a huge lack of coffee travel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Omar, who is currently based out of Cafe Imports\u2019 office in San Jose, Costa Rica, has seen first-hand the impact that coffee travel has on producer morale, as well as how disappointing and isolating it can be for growers when contact stops in hard times. Along with senior green-coffee buyer Piero Cristiani, Omar led a sourcing trip to visit our producing partners in the area around the Triunfo Verde Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, as well as to Huehuetenango in Guatemala. He says that there was a kind of palpable anxiety among the growers they met in Mexico\u2014not about the quality of their coffee, which is stronger than it has been in years, but in the hope and prayer that buyers will come back like the crops themselves have.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou hear this from every producer, even in Costa Rica, right?\u201d Omar says. \u201cYou\u2019re having a conversation about the harvest and then there\u2019s that semi-awkward moment where it\u2019s like, \u2018And now you guys have to buy it.\u2019\u201d Usually it\u2019s said a little teasingly, because the farmers we visit almost always know we will buy their coffee, that\u2019s the nature of the relationship. In Mexico this year, however, Omar says somewhat sadly, \u201cThey were actually like, \u2018I hope to G-d someone wants to buy this coffee.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Mexico_Origin_Report_web.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” animation_direction=”off” \/][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Mex Pt 3″ background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all” header_font=”Raleway||||||||”]<\/p>\n

Our job as importers, of course, is to calm that anxiety for producers by not only buying the coffee ourselves, sourcing with gusto and offering the assurance of a continuing partnership. We can only do our job well if our customers do their job as well, which, naturally, means there needs to be end buyers for these coffees\u2014that\u2019s the cyclical piece, the give and take of the agricultural side of specialty coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to market it as something developmental,\u201d Omar says. \u201cLet\u2019s not be afraid to buy these coffees because of low cup scores in the past; let\u2019s be confident in buying these coffees now because we\u2019re doing something great, and it\u2019s going to pay off for us\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0for them.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The coffees are there\u2014we know because we\u2019ve cupped them, solid 84\u201386-point container loads and a higher potential for microlots than in previous years, thanks too to widespread traceability efforts being implemented by several of our cooperative partners. Most of them are organic- and Fair Trade\u2013certified, to boot, from growers whose emphasis on environmental conservation and social progress is a model for other regions. Talk about an underdog story, right? What\u2019s not to love, and why not snatch these coffees up? Could it be that while the coffee next door seems commonplace, coffee two doors down is that much more exciting?<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Guatemala_Origin_Report_web-2.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” animation_direction=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Guate Pt 1″ background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all” header_font=”Raleway||||||||”]<\/p>\n

Guatemala<\/h1>\n

The drive from Jaltenango, in Mexico\u2019s Chiapas state, to Huehuetenango in Guatemala takes about eight hours on mountain highways, and the relative proximity of the growing areas means that there are some similarities to the terroir and profiles the coffees express\u2014craggy mountains and misty clouds, a wide range of altitudes, and coffees along the spectrum from simply toffee-sweet and nutty, to explosively fruity and dynamic.<\/p>\n

Geographical closeness doesn\u2019t always create identical situations and strife, and certainly it doesn\u2019t always imply equal response to come-what-may.<\/strong> Where in Mexico, growers and co-op leaders were noticeably and actively working on securing a better future for coffee and improving quality through new (and somewhat exotic, like Geisha) varieties, in Guatemala, Omar says, he encountered much less of that type of talk, and much more confidence\u2014new projects and new partners, and the relative ease of getting to know one another without distraction. Of course, that relative ease comes hard-earned in coffee: Guatemala\u2019s coffee-leaf-rust crisis peaked in the 2013\/14 season, when the government issued a state of emergency on the coffee sector, and major renovation projects were put underway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Guatemala they were saying the production is higher than normal, and that coffees were tasting on-point,\u201d he says. \u201cWe didn\u2019t hear anything about a lack of confidence. People would allude to \u2018the situation a couple years ago,\u2019 but no one elaborated on it, no one really talked about new varieties. It just seemed like in Guatemala the status quo was being maintained: There wasn\u2019t a lot of talk of the past and there wasn\u2019t necessarily that much talk about the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the weather has continued to be a challenge, the overall cup hadn\u2019t flagged over the past decade as much in Guate as it in neighboring Mexico. In fact, the coffees we\u2019ve seen from our partners both new and old have been fantastic, almost better than ever\u2014especially from the standard-bearing region of Huehuetenango, and a new-to-us nearby department, San Marcos, located just to the southwest of Huehue.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Photo-Apr-12-8-40-51-PM.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” animation_direction=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Guate Pt 2″ background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all”]<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Guatemala we did a lot of cupping,\u201d Omar says, \u201cand there were a lot of really good coffees, some that I thought were solid 87, 88 points. They were tasting amazing: super fruity, lemony, and chocolatey coffees, everything from Waykans to microlots.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pauses just a moment before adding a \u201cbut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut to be honest, there wasn\u2019t anything we were tasting here that we weren\u2019t tasting in Mexico,\u201d he says with a bit of hesitation. \u201cThat\u2019s probably a little of me wanting us to do something here, to step in and buy more coffees and help build them up. Maybe it\u2019s also my own old thinking of well, coffees from Mexico aren\u2019t traditionally that<\/em> good\u2014so coming in and tasting 86-point coffees was like, \u2018This is amazing!\u2019 Versus going to Guatemala and tasting 86-point coffees and thinking, \u2018Yeah, this is on par.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps perspective\u2014and proximity\u2014might be what\u2019s most at play here. Do we taste less potential because we expect<\/em> less? Do those expectations end up tempering the growth and recovery in a region, then\u2014and what would we achieve If we challenged those expectations? Why is it hard to get worked into a lather about 86-point lots from one place but not another? What can we do about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.86″ src=”\/\/cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/Image-2.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Outro” background_layout=”light” border_color=”#686868″ max_width=”1000px” text_font_size=”16″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ saved_tabs=”all” header_font=”Raleway||||||||”]<\/p>\n

Grow the Neighborhood<\/h1>\n

These are interesting questions, but ultimately they require a bigger conversation\u2014one that we can\u2019t very well have in a vacuum. As importers, we can only buy the coffees we know we can sell, otherwise we are arguably doing as much harm to the supply chain as la roya<\/em> has. The only real way to cure a crisis of confidence is to address the anxiety head on, and to ask for help when it\u2019s needed, which, ultimately, is what good neighbors do. Coffee is a community, and in a sense we\u2019re all each other\u2019s neighbor.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re thrilled to have visited with our friends just to the south, and to see them starting to thrive again after so long a period of difficulty. We hope to continue to show up for the producers of Mexico and Guatemala, to make ourselves present and to offer assistance, and we hope our roaster clients will do the same\u2014just imagine the block party we could all throw together.<\/p>\n

Who wouldn\u2019t want to be part of this neighborhood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” background_position_2=”top_left” background_repeat_2=”no-repeat” background_position_3=”top_left” background_repeat_3=”no-repeat” disabled=”off” disabled_on=”off|off|off”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_cta admin_label=”Australia Offerings” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Australian Offerings” use_background_color=”off” background_color=”#7bb262″ background_layout=”dark” custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_url=”dev.cafeimports.com\/offerings.php#\/afloat=\/location=melbourne-au\/tab=melbourne-au\/keyword=ethiopia\/” header_font=”Changa One||||” button_text_color_hover=”#ffffff” button_text_color=”#000000″ button_border_color=”#000000″ button_bg_color_hover=”#911814″ button_border_color_hover=”#911814″ custom_css_main_element=” ” custom_css_promo_button=”width: 100%;||min-height: 90px;” module_class=”CI-divi-button1″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_cta admin_label=”North American Offerings” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”North American Offerings” use_background_color=”off” background_color=”#7bb262″ background_layout=”dark” custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_url=”dev.cafeimports.com\/offerings.php#\/afloat=\/location=usa\/tab=afloat\/keyword=ethiopia\/” header_font=”Changa One||||” button_text_color_hover=”#ffffff” button_text_color=”#000000″ button_border_color=”#000000″ button_bg_color_hover=”#911814″ button_border_color_hover=”#911814″ custom_css_main_element=” ” custom_css_promo_button=”width: 100%;||min-height: 90px;” module_class=”CI-divi-button1″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_cta admin_label=”Europe Offerings” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”European Offerings” use_background_color=”off” background_color=”#7bb262″ background_layout=”dark” custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_url=”dev.cafeimports.com\/offerings.php#\/afloat=\/location=london-eu\/tab=london-eu\/keyword=ethiopia\/” header_font=”Changa One||||” button_text_color_hover=”#ffffff” button_text_color=”#000000″ button_border_color=”#000000″ button_bg_color_hover=”#911814″ button_border_color_hover=”#911814″ custom_css_main_element=” ” custom_css_promo_button=”width: 100%;||min-height: 90px;” module_class=”CI-divi-button1″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.86″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” text_font_size=”16″ module_alignment=”left”] We\u2019ll see the following coffees from Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, and Sumatra in the coming weeks, and we can\u2019t wait to bring you along on an exploration of the vibrant and dynamic cups they have to offer, direct to you from our producing partners there.<\/strong> [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” divider_weight=”2″ hide_on_mobile=”on” color=”#000000″ disabled_on=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” divider_weight=”2″ hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” background_position_2=”top_left” background_repeat_2=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P11300 –\u00a0 Sulawesi – PT Toarco Jaya – AA (GrainPro) <\/strong>Sweet and juicy with fruit acidity and a heavy mouthfeel; sugar cane juice, floral, plum and ripe dark fruit flavors<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P11301 –\u00a0Sulawesi – PT Toarco Jaya – A (GrainPro) <\/strong>Rich dark chocolate and toffee with squash blossom, stone fruit and cooked carrot flavors; sweet with lemon acidity and a smooth mouthfeel.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” background_position_2=”top_left” background_repeat_2=”no-repeat” background_position_3=”top_left” background_repeat_3=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P10560 – Papua New Guinea – FTO Chuave – Keto Tepasi – A\/X (GrainPro) <\/strong>Sweet and clean with a smooth mouthfeel; caramel, chocolate, apple and lemon flavors with a savory tropical aftertaste.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P10842 – Papua New Guinea – Namugo (GrainPro) <\/strong>Balanced, sweet and savory with tangy acidity and a heavy mouthfeel; sugar cane juice flavor with toffee, lime and some floral.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P10843 –\u00a0Papua New Guinea – Kunjin (GrainPro) <\/strong>Syrupy sweet with tangy fruit acidity and a smooth mouthfeel; lots of caramel and baked apple with lime, melon and chamomile flavors.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” divider_weight=”2″ hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” background_position_2=”top_left” background_repeat_2=”no-repeat” background_position_3=”top_left” background_repeat_3=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P11144 – Sumatra – Gayo – Bergandal Farm – Sakdan <\/strong>Sugary sweet and very tangy acidity with a creamy mouthfeel; lots of juicy fruit flavor with chocolate, floral, orange and tamarind.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P10860 – Sumatra – FTO Women Producers – KSU Item Reje Gayo <\/strong>Sweet with tart and tangy citric acidity and a heavy mouthfeel; lots of roasted red pepper and grapefruit with chocolate and fresh clean earthy flavors.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]<\/p>\n

P11168 – Sumatra – Variety Select – Abyssinia Variety – Sabri – Blang Glee Farm <\/strong>Sugary sweet with tart and tangy acidity and a creamy mouthfeel; lots of brown sugar and vanilla flavor with grapefruit, sage and lemon- lime.<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.66″ background_position_1=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.66″ show_divider=”on” color=”#000000″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” divider_weight=”2″ hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the easiest things to overlook are those that are right under our noses-or, in the case of Mexico, perhaps right under our borders. Mexico should have everything going for it as a growing country: Its close proximity to the U.S.A. means shipping and receiving coffees is a relative breeze. It’s full of good varieties farmed sustainably, with a high percentage of certified coffees (both Fair Trade and organic). And it has huge development potential from a quality standpoint. Yet Mexico has seemed to be passed over unenthusiastically for the past few years, considered best for “bulk” or blending lots that are hard to get excited about.<\/p>\n

Perhaps ironically, however, Mexico’s neighbor to the south, Guatemala, is one of the darlings of the Central American growing region – a reputation deservedly granted thanks to the exquisite profile and general stable productivity there, of course – but the contrast in impressions among the two countries has inspired us to ask whether the grass is really greener on the other side? What difference does a border make? How can we bridge that gap not only in our perception of the coffees, but also manage to equalize them to and with our customers?<\/p>\n

Read more for our latest origin report from Mexico and Guatemala, coffee-growing neighbors who have been around the block a few times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":30007,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guatemala","category-mexico"],"site_id":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/302"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29875"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29875\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}