Sourcing Details Relatively new to specialty coffee processing in western Honduras, Cafés Especiales Mercedes Ocotepeque (CAFESMO) has quickly made a reputation that is turning heads.
The success starts with a well defined plan for centralizing the collective efforts of more than 280 member-producers who cultivate coffee in the municipality of Mercedes.
The centerpiece of CAFESMO is a centralized wet-mill designed to receive cherries from all of its members and provide consistent processing for all.
But even more existing is the option to process individual producer lots with all the technological advantages offered by the centralized mill. Processing Details This particular lot was cultivated by Hidardo Hernández, one the founding members of CAFESMO, at his 8 acre farm called Cascaritas.
Hidardo harvests only ripe cherries and takes them to the centralized mill where cherries are floated using recycled water to remove less dense and damaged beans before depulping.
After depulping, coffee, with the mucilage still attached, is taken straight to raised beds to start the drying process.
This honey process skips the washing stage and greatly reduces the use of water.
Dried parchment is stored until the export preparation. Cooperative Activities CAFESMO has a fully staffed cupping lab equipped to cup through every lot and ensure consistent quality. CAFESMO has also worked collectively to establish a number of norms required for certification including organic and Fair Trade certification.