After a few years unable to travel, Quinton from the Australian office and I were thrilled to be able to visit producing partners and coffee connections in Honduras..We’re extremely proud of our partnerships in Honduras, with Beneficio San Vicente and the producers of Santa Barbara, so it was exciting to visit and meet everyone who makes it happen and the chance of making new connections was exciting. Below is a short recap on our travels in Honduras.
After arriving in San Pedro Sula airport, we headed to the rural town of Pena Blanca, located at the foot of Santa Barbara Mountain. We immediately headed to the Beneficio San Vicente dry mill, and cupped the first of many tables during our visit. For dinner, we met with a collection of roasters from around the world, including friends from the US, Japan and South Korea. Bringing the coffee world together would be a continued theme throughout the trip.
Food of the Day: Refried bean dip with melted cheese & tortilla chips.
We ventured to Benjamin Paz's cafe, El Dorao in Pena Blanca. After a delicious 'typico' breakfast and a quick shift behind the espresso machine, we headed again to the Beneficio San Vicente Mill. Our good friend Benjamin Paz operates the specialty area of the mill, along with his brother Fidel and cousin, Arturo. After a session of cupping standout microlots, we made our way up the mountain to see Nelson Ramirez, a producer LCM have been buying from every year, to see his bio-dynamic farm setup.
Food of the Day: Quinton's homemade salsa.
On day 3, we headed to El Cedral to visit Evin and Alma Moreno, a partner producer who’s investment in high quality practices has seen them flourish. Evin was especially keen to show us the area of the farm where he has planted SL-28 & Geisha trees, meaning even more exciting coffees to come in the future. A must on the trip was visiting Benjamin Paz’s own COE winning farm, La Salsa. Climbing up dense, steep forestry, we faced acres of sweeping coffee trees atop the hills, with flower in full bloom. Exciting for next year’s harvests.
Food of the Day: Alma Moreno's ice cold fresh blackberry juice.
Starting our last day in Honduras with another cupping session of quality micro lots and premium blending options, we met Denilson, a 23 year old producer. His coffee stood out on the table and I immediately asked if we could buy. He agreed and took us straight to see La Pena, his farm, and after we headed to his father Franklin's farm. We even gave a helping hand in fermenting, de-pulping and washing some coffees. An amazing experience and we’re delighted to partner with the young, talented Denilson!
A great end to the trip, solidifying our relationships with the best producers and exporters of Honduras. If you’d like to hear more or taste some of the lots we’ve purchased, get in touch!