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 250 families with farms that average just a few acres in size in the community of San Pedro Necta have partnered with an export company called CAFCOM to overcome the obstacles.
Processing Details
CAFCOM has established a centralized wet-mill in collaboration with a local group of farmers collectively called Merino Huixoc. The mill is an esential piece to supporting farmers with small farms because it reduces their burden of investing in processing equipment and maintenance. The mill also provides consistent processing protocols that result in higher quality community lots. At the mill, farmers deliver their cherries each day where they are floated to remove damaged and under ripe fruit. Next the cherries are depulped and fermented for up to 28 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 vibrant regional profile ensuring greater earnings for farmers.
Exporter Details
Dried parchment is transported to CAFCOM’s dry mill, which ensures quality control and traceability for the coffee. Mild weather 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 color sorter. The partnerships between the families in San Pedro Necta and CAFCOM makes this traditional Huehuetenango regional profile shine.
