Fredy Morales Huehuetenango Geisha Natural

Finca Rosma was first purchased by Alejandro Morales in 1963. In 1980, his son, Fredy Morales, took over the farm and renamed it Rosma, after his own wife, Rose Mary.

Fredy focuses on producing high-quality specialty coffee, like this Geisha lot. Discovered in the Ethiopian village of Gesha, Geisha has made waves with its high-scoring cup profile and delicate, complex flavors. In this lot, Fredy nurtures the complex, fruity and floral flavors we love in a Geisha coffee. Fredy and the Rosma team are Cup of Excellence winners and their dedication to producing high-quality coffees is evident in every lot they produce. This coffee is delicate and fruity with stone fruit, jasmine and citrus.

When Fredy took over the farm, the only way to transport coffee was to on the back of mules. Together with nearby community leaders, Fredy and the community built a road that makes it easier for producers to transport coffee to market. Another project Fredy undertook was building a pipeline that brings freshwater to the farm from a spring 5 kilometers away.

Fredy and his father, Alejandro Morales, also support their local community. Many local women were unable to finish their studies and thus have trouble finding work. During the harvest season, they can get good-paying jobs working at Rosma farms and the wet mill where they carefully sort coffee and remove any damaged or defective beans. 

With the help of his father, Alejandro, Fredy tested different processing methods on his Geisha cherry to find the best method for preserving the complexity and nuance in Geisha. The Morales' are meticulous about selecting and processing only the best coffees and we're delighted with how this lot turned out. The flavors are clear and nuanced with plenty of fruity and floral characteristics. Those clean and pronounced flavors are in part thanks to their exacting care with processing. 

Cherry is selectively handpicked and placed in bags where it lightly ferments for 24 hours. Then, cherry is washed in clean water and floated to remove any under-ripes. Cherry is laid on raised beds to sundry for 5 to 6 days before being moved to parabolic dryers for 25 to 28 days more. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 29 days for cherry to dry.

Geisha (also known as Gesha) is known for its exceptional cup quality, especially when grown at high altitudes. The variety comes from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from Ethiopian coffee forests in the 1930s. The name supposedly derives from Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest.

There is some confusion with several genetically distinct varieties that have all been called Geisha, but the most famous variety is the Panama one. The variety was brought to Lyamungu research station in Tanzania and from there to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in 1953. At CATIE, the variety was logged as T2722. CATIE distributed T2722 across Panama in the 1960s for its Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistance, but its brittle branches meant it was not widely planted.

Panama Geisha reached its modern fame in 2005 when a Geisha lot won the “Best of Panama” competition and broke contemporary records at over $20/pound. DNA analysis has demonstrated that the Panama Geisha descended from T2722 is distinct and uniform. Today, Geisha is known for its delicate florals, jasmine and stone fruit.

Rosma Coffeelands was founded by Fredy Morales, son of Alejandro Morales. Alejandro purchased the family farm in 1963 and cultivated coffee there. Fredy took over the farm in 1980 and renamed the farm Rosma after his wife, Rose Mary.

In addition to the coffee he produces on Finca Rosma, Fredy works with his neighbors, friends and family to cultivate and source high-quality coffees that are traceable to individual family farms. Rosma acts not only as an exporter but also as a resource for farmers looking to improve production. They have a seedling nursery so farmers can access high-quality seedlings that are also more Coffee Leaf Rust resistant. They also provide refinancing credit for farmers and health and medical assistance. 

Since 2022, sales of Rosma coffees in Europe, Middle East and North Africa have supported Coffee Kinder, an on-farm childcare center for the children of farm workers. At Coffe Kinder, children can play and learn safely during the harvest while their parents work. This reduces child labor and makes it possible for both parents to work, increasing incomes for laboring families and increasing the labor force for the harvest.