Time to Plan for Guatemala!

Published 14 Feb 2023

In a couple of weeks, we will be heading back to Guatemala for our first time since 2019. We’re so excited to be returning to a country whose coffees have been a staple of our offerings for fifteen years!

During the trip, Fleur will be spending time with many of the families whose farms we feature year-on-year, cupping and selecting lots from the current harvest that will land in Australia from the month of July onwards. Before she heads off, we want to hear from you to help us build our buying brief and accurately plan for the 2023 season!

Guatemala is home to some of our most enduring partnerships—and after four years without a visit, we have heaps of catching up to do!  Fleur’s trip will start in Alta Verapaz, where she will be spending time with the Valdés family of Santa Isabel, before heading south to Antigua, home of longtime friends the Zelaya family of Santa Clara and La Soledad. This will be a great opportunity to reconnect with both families, and to cup lots from some of our favourite estates in Guatemala.

From there, Fleur will be traveling north to Huehuetenango, the country’s most celebrated growing region.  Here, she will visit the Rosales family (of La Maravilla) and Alfonso Anzueto’s Calahute. Both of these farms produce well-structured, balanced coffees that perform brilliantly across all brewing and roasting applications, and we can’t wait to see how the current season lots are tasting!

Finally, the trip will wind down in Guatemala City, where Fleur will be cupping with exporting partner Eduardo Ambrosio of Prisma Coffee Origins. Every year, Prisma connects us with coffees grown and processed by small producers from more remote areas of Guatemala—including La Bugambilia, El Calagual and La Esperanza Honey. This year, we’re also hoping to taste lots from new producers that we can start a relationship with, and whose coffees can strengthen our yearly offerings. 

We are beyond excited to be visiting Guatemala again, in what is looking like a harvest of excellent quality! While the picking has been slightly delayed, due to an unusually long rainy season, early cuppings are indicating it’s gonna be a superb year, with plenty of the refined acidity and depth of sweetness we have come to expect out of Guatemala.

Now is the perfect time to let us know what coffees you are interested in! Regarding volume lines, communicating your purchasing intentions early allows us to approach our selection with more security and accuracy.  As for microlots, letting us know what you’re looking for will help us secure the coffees that you love, offer exclusivity, or meet specific volume requirements. Hit the button below to plan your Guate line up with us!