Guatemala Fieldtrip 2023 - EFICO Green Trader Journal - Efico

THE FEELGOOD FIELD JOURNAL – GUATEMALA
FROM EFICO’S GREEN COFFEE TRADERS RAF & ERIC

Home to volcanoes, Mayan ruins, and lush rainforests, Guatemala is a Central American country rich with culture, history, and geography. And the country’s high-quality coffee market is an excellent example of all three. While other countries are catching up in the volume of beans produced, Guatemala remains famous for producing some of the most flavourful and nuanced cups in the world. No wonder both our colleagues Raf & Eric were excited to soak up the vibrancy of Guatemala, meet wonderful colleagues and partners, and of course sample some amazing coffee.

Raf & Eric, Shoot! Please tell us all about both your trips, what was the purpose, what did you see, learn and taste, which coffees and producers you fell in love with, and why should we all be looking forward cupping EFICO’s Guatemalan crop.

Raf starts off: “If you visit Guatemala in January or February, you will find yourself in the middle of the action during the most exciting time of the year: the coffee harvest. It already starts with the anticipation! We know that we will spend quality time with our excellent local team in the field, that many visits to our coffee producers are scheduled, that the local quality control lab and drying mills are running at full capacity,… It’s action time! It is usually a full and challenging itinerary, carefully and meticulously coordinated by our colleagues at EFICO Centram.”

“It is always a pleasure to go to Guatemala” – Eric adds, : “And the beginning of the year is without a doubt the ideal time to give roasters-partners -who occasionally travel with us- a look behind the busy scenes. It is really satisfying for everyone to be able to experience that activity on site, and to be able to pass on and share a mutual passion for the coffee business.”

“Once again I noticed (and realized again) that there is an enormous amount of human labor in all stages of Guatamalan coffee production,” says Raf. “The seasonal pickers select the cherries one by one, which is a very painstaking and precise handiwork. This is reflects in the cup; our Guatemalan coffees are of exceptional quality, still yet affordable.”

Eric adds: “We are very lucky to still have acces to these exceptional beans. You should know that young Guatemalans, especially those living in rural areas, are leaving their farms to seek economic opportunities elsewhere (mostly United States), resulting in labor shortages in the agricultural sector.”

Raf continues: “Fewer pickers means that sometimes the entire harvest cannot be brought in on time. And speaking of (bad) timing – just like in other coffee-producing countries – climate and climate change are ‘hot’ topics and major spoilers in the Guatemalan agricultural industry. Coffee cultivation is strongly affected and smaller coffee producers face major challenges. This year I noticed in the field on some trees ‘ready-to-be-picked cherries, next to a brightly blooming coffee flowers. Last year it rained twice as much in September as the average of the last 5 years. In addition to the landslides caused by these heavy rains, the coffee harvest had to be postponed for a while. On the one hand, you have the phenomenon of ‘La Niña’ , which has led to variations in the precipitation pattern -which influence the (yield) of the coffee crop. On the other hand, you have the rising cost of fertilizer. Both have affected the harvest calendar and the crop yields; resulting in a 15% less harvest this year.”
Eric adds: “The coffee sector faces a long list of challenges, ranging from price volatility, rising production costs, reduced land and labor availability to the need to improve the social conditions of small producers, climate change and the scarcity of environmental resources such as water.
This year -thanks to substantial donations from several roasters- some cooperatives were able to invest in coffee fermentation systems that use 70% less water than previous systems.”

While reminiscing about the future of coffee and guatemalan coffee in particular, Raf tells: “Generation dynamics are and will continue to be important for the future of coffee – not only in Guatemala, but in coffee-producing areas around the world. That is probably why I was so charmed by meeting the young coffee entrepreneur Max Pérez at his Finca la Hermosa.

Born and raised amidst coffee plantations and a parchment warehouse at home, Max always had the idea of starting a coffee business himself. In 2010 he began to develop a specialty coffee farm that would blend tradition and innovation to supply its customers with amazing coffees, while having a positive impact in society. Fast foward today, the farm is divided in thirteen plots in full production, featuring traditional varieties as Pache, Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon, as well as the trendy Pacamara and Geisha. The quality of ‘Finca Hermosa’s coffees has been rewarded with different national and international prizes in the past years, including the Cup of Excellence auction program. Really impressive.

“What has stayed with you the most, Eric”, Raf asks, “what do you remember most about the trip? Eric replies: “Actually something you mentioned earlier, Raf; the thing that sticks with me on these origin journeys is how much manual labor and personal handwork is involved – especially in the origin. The amounts of patience, craftsmanship and passion that come together in one cup of coffee, that is and will remain remarkable. There are many steps from seed to our precious cup (planting, harvesting, processing the cherries, drying and exporting the beans, divers quality controls, various tastings, roasting the coffee, grinding the coffee, brewing the coffee,… .), and at every stage passionate and committed people are involved. The coffee we know and enjoy has come a long and interesting way to reach your cup.”

ORIGIN SNAPSHOT – GUATEMALA

Since Efico’s Central American headquarters are based in Guatemala, EFICO has access to all local gems from all different regions and with all possible labels/certifications: Fairtrade, Rainforest, Organic, Rainforest Organic, …

What makes Guatemalan Coffee Unique?

Guatemala is one of the world’s leading producers of coffee, and Guatemalan coffee beans are prized for their distinctively moderately acidic and fruity flavour. Depending on the growing region, they also tend to be very sweet, with chocolate undertones and caramel.

Many factors contribute to the unique character of Guatemalan coffee, including the country’s climate, altitude, and soil. Guatemala is located in the so-called “coffee belt,” a region of the world that straddles the line between the tropics and subtropics. This gives the coffee a more balanced flavour than coffee beans from strictly tropical or temperate areas.

The country’s high altitudes and variety of microclimates, from the highlands of Antigua to the volcanic soils of Huehuetenango, also play a role, resulting in slower-growing plants that produce beans with a more concentrated flavour. Finally, the soils of Guatemala are rich in minerals, which impart a characteristic sweetness to the coffee. All of these factors combined to create truly wonderful coffee beans.

Guatemalan Coffee Characteristics
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General Guatemalan Coffee Characteristics

Types of Guatemalan Coffee Beans
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Six main varieties of Arabica coffee beans are grown in Guatemala: Typica, Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, and Maragogipe.

Typica: This variety is known for its tall stature, low yield, and high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust. But it’s precisely these characteristics that give the Typica more intense flavour and refreshing acidity.
Caturra: An average-sized, green and compact plant with good yielding potential of standard quality in Central America. It’s a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety. High susceptibility to coffee rust.
Bourbon: It’s characterised by excellent cup quality, tall stature, green colour, and relatively low production. Bourbon is susceptible to major diseases, but its cup quality makes it a valuable variety for coffee growers.
Catuai: Highly susceptible to coffee rust but produces high-quality coffee beans characterised by great vigour and low height with higher yield potential. And due to its small size, it can be planted at almost double the density.
Pache: A compact, bronze-coloured plant with medium yield potential resulting from a natural mutation of the Typica variety. It’s very susceptible to major diseases but has good quality at high altitudes.
Maragogipe: Some of the largest coffee beans you’ll find. The same goes for its leaves and internodes. Although it’s susceptible to rust and, therefore, very low yielding, the cup quality is still something between good and very good.

Overview of Guatemalan Coffee Industry
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The coffee industry began to develop in Guatemala in the 1850s and 1860s, with German immigrants playing a pivotal role in its introduction. Initially, coffee cultivation was mixed with cochineal, an insect used to produce a red dye.

However, coffee became the dominant crop over time, and small coffee plantations flourished in the Amatitlán and Antigua areas. Though initial growth was slow due to a lack of knowledge and technology, the industry eventually thrived.

Back in the day, many planters had to rely on loans and borrow from their families to finance their coffee estates, with coffee production in Guatemala increasingly owned by foreign companies with capital to buy plantations and invest.

Guatemalan Coffee Regions
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You may be wondering, “Where does Guatemalan coffee come from?” There are about eight Guatemalan coffee regions where delicious coffee beans are best grown: Acatenango Valley, Antigua Coffee, Traditional Atitlán, Rainforest Cobán, Fraijanes Plateau, Highland Huehuetenango, Nuevo Oriente, and Volcanic San Marcos.

Guatemala Field Trip 2023 - EFICO Field Journal

Let’s take a closer look at each of them:

Rainforest Coban

Cobán is a region shrouded in mist and cloud cover for much of the year, creating ideal conditions for coffee plants to thrive. Most of this coffee is grown on rolling hills, under the tropical influences of the Atlantic Basin. And the soil here is rich in limestone and clay, helping promote a high level of acidity. Cobán’s signature chipi-chipi frequently engulfs the region in a fine mist that falls from the dense cloud cover, giving the coffee fresh fruit notes.
The resulting beans have a distinctive flavour that is a far stretch from other sunny volcanic regions. Subtle, well-balanced body and a pleasant aroma.