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Honduras Coffee Origin Guide: Regions, History & Flavor Profile

Although it is the largest producer of coffee in Central America, Honduras was a bit of a late bloomer in coffee production compared to its neighbors. Coffee first arrived to the country likely in the 18th century and by the late 19th century production increases to eventually make up 80% of export by the early 1900s. Now, it is consistently in the top 10 in terms of production volume, and produced 5.52 million 60kg bags in 2024, making up 3.2% of the world's global production. Washed coffee makes up most of the processing type from the country, but a small number of producers offer natural processes, along with anaerobic and other types of processing. Flavors from Honduran coffee are often nutty, with some fruit characteristics and mild acidity. Large estates make up a good chunk of the production volume, and the country began differentiating their coffee via certifications in 2009. Over 50% of its 2024 crop was certified coffee, mostly through UTZ (now merged with Rainforest Alliance), Organic, FTO, and Rainforest Alliance. 

Visiting cooperative Comsa in Honduras

History

In 1970, the government formed the Insituto Houndureno Del Café (IHCAFE) to help improve quality by creating coffee labs in the six main coffee growing regions. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that production began to take off and supported the growth of infrastructure in the country. Because Honduras was a little bit behind their coffee-producing neighbors, they had a particularly hard time getting out of the commodity market and into the specialty market. By 2011 the country had surpassed the production of Guatemala and Costa Rica combined, at just under 6 million bags produced. 

Coffee leaf rust became a major problem for producers during the 2012 and 2013 harvest, so much so, that the government declared a state of national emergency. It impacted 70% of the nation’s crop and the country released over 14 million US dollars to aid coffee growers. The funds helped over 60,000 small farmers buy pesticides and finance educational programs to teach them about the disease to stop it from growing. The coffee sector generates over a million jobs in the country, so the devastating impacts of coffee leaf rust rippled through the economy of the entire country.  

Honduras Coffee growing region

Production, Regions & Cultivars 

From bulk, large quantities of coffee to tiny micro-lots, you see a wide range of coffee coming from Honduras. Growing regions include Copan, Montecillos, Agalta, Opalaca, Comayagua and El Paraiso. Within these regions are subregions, and many roasters often use the name Santa Barbara, which is a government municipality rather than the ‘official’ growing regions listed earlier.  

Copan is in the western portion of the country, and reaches up to 1500m in elevation. Montecillos is also along the western portion of the country and its subregions include Marcala and La Paz. Marcala is a municipality inside the department of La Paz.  

Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Pacas and Typica are cultivars most often available in the area.  

IHCAFE developed a number of important hybrids, including IHCAFE 90 and Lempira (Catimors), and Parainema (a Sarchimor). 

Processing Methods, Cultivars, and Production 

Processing Methods, Cultivars, and Production 

Bolivia is at such high altitude it is hard to get natural coffee up to temperature in order to ferment properly on the drying table. To combat this, some producers use an anerobic-style fermentation, extending fermentation timelines and allowing for more control.  

Coffee growing regions in Bolivia can exceed 2,300 meters; this high elevation paired with low latitude for coffee production creates a particularly interesting flavor profile.  

Coffees from this region are often known for a bright and delicate cup. Very clean and sweet, you will find lots of stone fruit and citrus complexity from these coffees. Common cultivars used in Bolivia include Typica and Caturra along with Gesha, Java, and Catuai.  

Producers often have tiny farms, around five hectares, with many small farms grouped together to contribute cherry to a single lot. If you are looking for an origin that not many specialty roasters will carry, Bolivian coffee is a great option to expand your menu offerings. Arrival season for the U.S typically happens during spring. In 2024, they had a larger than average harvest at 35,000 60kg bags in 2024. For a sense of scale, compare this to their neighbor, Peru, which exports around 4 million bags annually.