About This Coffee
The Hartmann family patriarch, Alois St. Hartmann, was born in Czechoslovakia in 1891. In 1914, at the onset of First World War, Hartmann emigrated to Pennsylvania in the United States where he changed his name to Luis Hartmann. Hartmann later purchased land in Chiriqui, in Panama and built a house.
A direct descendant of Luis Hartmann, Ratibor Hartmann and his wife, Tessie, purchased Mi Finquita Estate to realize their dream of farming coffee in Panama. Tessie is in charge of roasted coffee sales of their brand. Ratibor also oversees production at Hartmann Estate.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
After harvest, cherry is laid on raised drying beds. Cherry is turned regularly to promote even drying. If the weather is poor, cherry may be finished in mechanical rotary dryers.
Coffee in Panama
Though small in coffee production, Panama is a mighty player in coffee quality. In particular, Panama is famous for producing Geisha variety lots that have fetched prices exceeding $800 per pound. Today, its renown as a producer of rare and sought-after varieties positions Panama as a contender for a new kind of ‘coffee-tourism’ that has the potential to change the way we produce, purchase, consume and talk about specialty coffee on a global scale.
The high value of Geisha has brought out both the best and worst in the industry. For established producers who receive excellent prices for their Geisha and other lots, the high prices they receive have often been reinvested in their communities and in renovating their farms to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Unfortunately, the lure of Geisha’s high value has led some people bypass traditional land purchasing agreements and illegally deforest areas of national parks to get the best location for new (and illicit) Geisha farms.
Even as the number of producers those receiving high prices for their Geisha remains relatively low, the blossoming coffee industry in Panama has demonstrated potential to raise incomes for a wider spectrum of producers and coffee workers.