Sourcing Details
There are plenty of obstacles to cultivating and exporting coffee from the department of Huehuetenango. The terrain is rugged and the weather is extreme. But coffee grows well here, and 216 indigenous families with farms that average just a few acres in size work together through a cooperative called Q’anil to overcome the obstacles.
Processing Details
One of the most unique features of the Q’anil cooperative is the establishment of a centralized wet-mill equipped with environmental controls to return water to the environment free of contamination. The centralized mill allows each individual producer to focus on investing in farm management throughout the year and then harvesting and delivering their best cherries. At the mill the cherries are depulped and fermented for 36 to 48 hours, then washed and classified by density in channels of water, and dried to 11 percent moisture on patios in the sun. The result is a consistent community lot with a vibrant regional profile ensuring greater producer earnings.
Exporting Details
Dried parchment is transported to a dry mill in Guatemala City managed by los Volcanes Coffee, which partners with Q’anil to ensure quality control and traceability for the cooperative's coffee. Mild weather in Guatemala City provides ideal conditions for storing parchment in the warehouse until it is time to export. The mill is equipped with multiple pieces of equipment to sort green coffee typical in most dry mills, such as gravity beds, screens and electronic eyes. The centralized processing partnerships between the Q’anil cooperative and Los Volcanes makes this traditional Huehuetenango regional profile shine.
