With the Honduras and El Salvador harvests approaching, now is the perfect time to start planning. Consider your desired volumes and reach out—samples will be available soon!
Honduras: Harvest updates from the Caballeros
Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera have been managing over 200 hectares of land since 2012. They are our longest-standing relationship in Honduras, known for producing consistent, clean profiles. With farms spread across diverse geographic zones (1,400–1,600 masl), the Caballeros produce a variety of flavor profiles and processing methods.
Their harvest this season has been impacted by unfavorable weather conditions. Excessive and late-arriving rainfall led to production losses, as it resulted in many cherries falling prematurely. After sorting, total production is expected to decrease by 40–50%.
Processing and drying coffee has also become more difficult under these circumstances. Since drying takes up valuable space on their estate, producing special preparation lots has been more challenging than usual. However, with the use of Guardiolas, the Caballeros can still dry their coffee carefully to maintain high quality standards.
Worry not, we will still meet regular volume and quality requirements, though there may be fewer varieties of special preparation lots available this year.
If you are purchasing Honduran lots on FOB terms, now is the time to start contracting. Due to the lower yields and logistical challenges, securing lots later in the season may be difficult.
Key highlights & timelines
- We expect to wrap up with offer sample cupping in March, which means we can finalise all of our contracts soon after.
- If all goes to plan, shipments are expected to depart in May and arrivals are anticipated in June and July.
Intibucá
The producers we work with in Intibucá are specifically located in the municipality of Masaguara, with most farms situated between 1600-1800 masl. Our partners in this area are a dedicated collective revolutionising coffee production in the region. Led by Rony Gámez, the group primarily focuses on sharing knowledge, creating a market for their coffees, and establishing a name for the farmers.
When sourcing these lots, we prioritise traceability, microlot separation, and high premiums, supporting farmers to gradually enhance profitability and reinvestment in their production.
Coffees from Intibucá are typically harvested a little later than other regions of Honduras. We expect shipments to arrive in Europe around July, but we will keep you posted with more information until then.
El Salvador: Jasal Coffee & the Salaverria Family
We’ve been working with the Salaverria family since 2012, 6th generation coffee producers who also own a mill (Las Cruces) and exporting company (called Jasal). The Salaverrias grow a variety of cultivars on their farms, with the majority consisting of the traditional Bourbon Elite and a hybrid called Hibrido San Francisco, which blends Bourbon Elite and Pacas.
Similar to Honduras, El Salvador has also been affected by unusual weather patterns, with more rainfall occurring at times when it was not expected. Initially, the region experienced strong flowering, followed by ample sunshine (indicating a promising harvest). However, the unexpected rain caused many flowers to fail in developing into cherries, resulting in a lower-than-anticipated yield.
Despite this, we have already pre-contracted our upcoming shipment from Jasal, with a variety of processing methods.
Key highlights & timelines
- We expect to cup offer samples from Jasal in March.
- Shipments will also begin departing in May, with coffees arriving to our EU warehouse in June and July.
Don't miss our next Spring Cupping Events
We have TWO Spring Cupping events planned for the season, one in Oslo and one in London. These events are a perfect opportunity for you to cup our incoming centrals, together with Kenya, Ethiopia, and Colombia. You will get a great overview of our fresh crops and will be able to make selections for your roastery. Don’t forget to book your spot!
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