About This Coffee
The municipality of Marcala, founded in 1834 and situated in the department of La Paz, belongs to the central-western region of Honduras and the coffee-growing area of Montecillos. Its predominantly mountainous topography sets the stage for the modern history and economic development driven by the love for coffee. Marcala is renowned for its high-quality, high-altitude coffee and deep-rooted tradition associated with this beloved bean.
RAOS, as one of the main cooperatives in the region's agricultural sector, takes pride in generating foreign exchange, employment, and economic growth while prioritizing environmentally friendly cultivation practices. The cooperative's success is a testament to the concerted efforts of dedicated producers, the collaborative work of the coffee chain, and strong commitment to leadership.
RAOS firmly believes in a promising future for emerging producers dedicated to excellence. In the latest harvest, they meticulously crafted a unique batch featuring exquisite flavor profiles sourced from various influential regions, including Santa Ana, Cabañas, Florida, Santa Maria, San Jose, and Chinacla. Spanning from high to low areas, these regions boast elevations ranging from 1200m to 1560m. The entire process, starting from the collection of cherry coffee at the Beneficio Húmedo Florida collection center, underwent rigorous selection, depulping, and carefully classified processing to ensure optimal fermentation. Subsequently, the coffee was transported to the Beneficio Seco Matamula production center for uniform drying.
RAOS remains dedicated to their producers beyond the preparation stage, constantly striving to develop enhanced strategies for marketing their extraordinary coffees to various destinations, showcasing their exceptional qualities.
Cultivation
At RAOS, the cultivation of coffee is guided by a commitment to organic practices and sustainability. Their journey in producing organic coffee began in the 1990s and has been accompanied by continuous training and the exchange of experiences in organic agriculture. This dedication serves as a space for learning and affirmation within their cooperative. By prioritizing the care and management of the environment, RAOS strives to harmonize entrepreneurial dynamism with environmental respect. They promote eco-friendly and earth-respecting farming techniques to foster harmony with nature and achieve self-sufficiency for the producing families. The mountainous soils in their region, characterized by a medium texture and a combination of clay, silt, and sand, provide an ideal foundation for growing coffee with exceptional quality. With their unwavering commitment to sustainability, RAOS contributes to the development of a thriving and environmentally conscious coffee cultivation industry.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
RAOS uses various drying methods for their coffee. This includes concrete patios, mechanical dryers, raised beds, solar dryers, and static dryers.
Sustainable Harvest
Sustainable Harvest® is a specialty coffee trader focusing primarily on bringing coffees to market that are sourced from smallholder farmer cooperatives in the supply chain such as indigenous communities, women groups and the next generation of coffee farmers.
Their sourcing model is built on transparency, traceability and direct relationships between quality-minded coffee roasters and best-in-class coffee producers. Sustainable Harvest® has an on-site presence at origin with staff in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru. Each office coordinates their supply including quality management, supplier relationships, source development, logistics, training and capacity building.
Coffee in Honduras
Honduras is a small yet mighty coffee producer. The country boasts the largest per capita coffee production in the world. Beginning in 2017, Honduras began placing in third place for Arabica production volume globally. For this slot, they compete with Ethiopia—a country 10 times larger than Honduras. The two countries trade between third and fourth place annually, but the achievement is impressive, nonetheless.
Honduras has everything it needs to become a premier specialty coffee producer. The country has the right growing conditions, abundant fertile soils and soaring altitudes (nearly all farms are at more than 1,000 meters above sea level), plus a variety of microclimates.
Beginning in the early 2000s the industry began to focus on quality. Improved infrastructure (better mechanical dryers, centralized wet mills, an increasing number of solar dryers), quality control/assurance trainings (separating lots by qualities, cupping schools, etc.), the rise of specialty-focused exporters, increased volumes of certified coffees and the strengthening cooperative movement all have worked in tandem to make Honduran coffee ‘one to watch’.
It is only in more recent years that coffee production in Honduras has reached specialty levels comparable to other Central American countries, but specialty roasters are responding with enthusiasm. In 2017, a lot in the Cup of Excellence garnered the highest price ever paid for a Cup of Excellence coffee in any country: $124.50 per pound (approximately $56.50 per kg).
Above all, while Honduras increasingly offers high end microlots, what the country arguably represents overall is exceptional value. Quality has improved massively over the last 15 years, and in addition to unique specialty lots, the country offers very solid, clean blenders at very attractive prices.