Coffee Story
Diego comes from a long line of coffee growers and lives with his grandparents, who have been deeply involved in the family's trade. His grandfather, a former migrant labourer, learned about caring for coffee plants while working on coffee farms along the Guatemalan coast. He passed on his expertise to his children, but there was little demand for high-quality coffee at the time.
Driven by his passion for coffee, Diego pursued further education in agronomy and post-harvest processing best practices. The El Sendero Cooperative recognized his expertise and recruited him as a coffee agronomist. Together with other members, Diego has made substantial contributions to enhancing the coffee quality of the cooperative. El Sendero's mission is to provide support and valuable information to coffee producers in Concepcion Huista, in the Huehuetenango region. Since its inception in 2016, the cooperative has expanded to include 196 coffee-producing members, strongly emphasizing gender equality and support for young producers.
Processing
Following the harvest, the coffee beans undergo a meticulous process that truly reflects the dedication of the coffee producers. The beans are de-pulped and left to ferment for 12-18 hours, followed by washing and soaking in clean water for an additional 12 hours before drying. The drying process, spanning 5-6 sunny days, involves the entire family, who turn the coffee every hour on the patio for even, thorough drying.
