April 20, 2025

I visited Central and South America for about three weeks in late March.

During the first week, I visited Honduras to meet producers in the Santa Barbara and Marcala regions. While these are familiar mountainous regions for Fuglen, it was my first time there. I set off filled with excitement at the thought of meeting the producers who make the coffee I’ve enjoyed for years—right on their own land.

Honduras

The Republic of Honduras is located in Central America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Its capital is Tegucigalpa, which is known among coffee buyers for having one of the world’s most difficult airports to land at. Recently, a new airport has opened in San Pedro Sula in the northwest, making entry to the country safer.

Since the 2000s, natural disasters and coups have led to a deterioration in security. Today, San Pedro Sula is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. However, once you enter coffee-producing areas, the relaxed atmosphere makes the insecurity feel distant.

The regions we source coffee from include Santa Barbara, about a two-hour drive south of San Pedro Sula, and the Marcala/Chinacla region, another two to three hours southwest. In Santa Barbara, we’ve sourced coffee from producers like Nelson Ramirez, Mario Moreno, and Danny Moreno. In Marcala, we’ve been buying coffee from the well-known pair, Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera, without missing a year since 2017.

San Vicente

During this visit, we based ourselves with San Vicente, a coffee exporter located in Peña Blanca, to visit producers in Santa Barbara. I arrived during the early harvest season, when producers were bringing their coffee to the dry mill each day. After delivery, the lab measures moisture content and water activity, and QC staff provide feedback.

Seeing this close interaction between exporters and producers was a fresh and inspiring experience for me. If this closeness is rare, then I believe the exceptional quality of coffee traded through San Vicente proves how special it is. Although I stayed only a week, I spent nearly every day visiting producers, touring farms, and cupping coffees—it was an intense, rewarding time.

San Vicente is a third-generation coffee exporter run by the Paz family, including Benjamin and Arturo. While their parents are still officially in charge, Benjamin and Arturo have been instrumental in expanding the specialty coffee program. Many of the staff, including them, are also producers. Benjamin and Arturo also operate a café in Peña Blanca. They are rare figures who are involved in coffee as producers, exporters, and café owners. They manage everything from guiding farm visits and prepping cuppings to arranging meals for guests—especially during harvest season, when they hardly have time to rest.

For various reasons, we haven’t been able to trade with San Vicente for the past three years. As we’re not a large roaster, importing directly from every origin is difficult, and we often rely on importers. Since 2022, we haven’t had access to them, which was frustrating.

I’ve always felt that coffee from Santa Barbara is special—even within Honduras and Central America. I love coffee from this region and had long been waiting for the opportunity to source from it again. On this trip, I met with four producers and spoke with them directly about this year’s harvest conditions, expected volumes, current challenges, and their future outlooks.

Not only in Honduras, but throughout Central America, heavy rainfall early in the year has had a major impact on harvest timing. Rain that would typically be spread out over time came all at once, and in some areas, the harvest peak arrived suddenly, making it difficult to secure labor like pickers. To retain pickers during the busy season, farms had to offer higher wages than others, and those with less financial flexibility saw lower yields.

Benjamin Paz

At Benjamin Paz’s farm, La Leona, a variety of coffee cultivars are being grown experimentally, and regenerative organic farming practices have been introduced in some sections. They are also testing different shade tree species that suit the land and coffee. While they’ve imported seeds from overseas, some have struggled due to soil conditions and growth speed. As a result, they’re planning to shift toward native shade tree species. Many young trees have been planted, and the future of this farm is something to look forward to.

In the plots using regenerative practices, the soil was entirely different—softer, and the roots of the coffee trees were growing deeply. I had the chance to cup a Pacas variety from this section, but the cup quality at this stage was lower than in other plots. Based on my limited experience and visual impressions, I felt that farm health and cup quality don’t always align, which reminded me of how complex coffee cultivation can be.

One question that kept coming up during this trip was: what defines coffee quality? In cupping, quality is expressed through scores—90 points is considered better than 85, and sells at a higher price. Consumers are often moved by distinct and memorable flavors. I visited a farm with coffee I had scored 88, but the coffee trees were not particularly healthy and seemed to produce low yields.

On the other hand, the things that don’t show up in the score—farm environment, healthy coffee trees, lush coffee cherries, and the people working there—have their own value. Only by visiting these lands can we sense the beauty surrounding coffee. These are not always reflected in the cup, but they matter. I still don’t have a clear answer, but I encountered new and meaningful questions.

Benjamin shares his knowledge generously with other producers and has played a major role in raising quality across the region. He led us through many farms, chatting with people as he went, and is clearly a central figure in coffee production in Santa Barbara.

Mario Moreno

Fuglen first worked with the Moreno family’s coffee in 2016, starting with coffee from Mario’s brother, Danny. The following year, we encountered Mario’s unforgettable El Guayabo farm coffee and continued buying from him for several years. This visit was our first since 2019. Their late father, Daniel Moreno, began coffee farming at El Filo, then divided plots among his sons so they could grow coffee as a family.

The micro-mill used to process harvested cherries is shared by the family. During the drying stage, they gather to hand-sort parchment together—almost like a family ritual. The parchment drying on raised beds was so thoroughly sorted, it shone bright white. According to staff at San Vicente, coffee from the Moreno family is so meticulously sorted before delivery that hardly any sorting is needed at the mill.

El Guayabo, mentioned earlier, appears to have paused production due to low yields. Two years ago, Mario passed the land to his brothers and cousins and began cultivating new varieties in a higher-elevation section of the farm. These trees are expected to yield their first harvest in two years, so we look forward to the changes to come.

At Piedras Amarillas, they began growing new varieties—Pacas, Bourbon, and Geisha—in 2017. This steep mountainside farm is cooled by cold air rising from the valley, bringing down nighttime temperatures. During the day, cherries receive ample sunlight, and at night they mature slowly in the cooler climate. This extended ripening process contributes to a coffee with beautiful acidity and complexity. However, this year, unusually low temperatures seem to have caused noticeable damage to the coffee trees.

Heyviz Sagatsume

The Sagatsume family, located in the village of El Dorado, also grows coffee as a family. We’ve been purchasing their coffee since last year. Of Pedro’s five children, three sons are involved in coffee production. On this trip, Heyvis guided us through their farm, Los Quetzales.

The farm is named after the Quetzal, a beautiful bird seen in parts of Central America and said to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. This was also the most beautiful coffee farm I’ve visited so far. Of the farm’s 21 hectares, 2 hectares serve as buffer zones for a government-designated nature reserve. Dense jungle surrounds the farm, and walking through the coffee trees leads you into that forest. Most trees on the farm are deep green and thriving, with good cherry yield expected based on their health.

The Sagatsume family says they make quick decisions whenever changes arise in the field. Delayed responses can strain the trees, so timely action based on field conditions is critical. Heyvis told us, “We don’t do anything special, but taking proper care of the trees is what matters.” When asked about the future, he said, “Our coffee farming—passed down from my father—has brought us livelihood and prosperity. So it’s my duty to pass the farm on to my children as well.”

After the farm visit, we were invited to their home, where we discussed the challenges producers face. These included rising farm management costs and delays in receiving payments for coffee. We couldn’t offer immediate solutions, but it gave us important insights to consider in future purchases. Listening to producers on the ground not only provides information—it also refreshes our perspective. Since all the coffee we buy is built on human relationships, we must move forward by sharing both the positives and the challenges.

After leaving San Vicente, we headed to Marcala the next day.

To be continued in the second half.

 

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