Guatemala is an incredibly diverse country with 47 volcanos that cover the mountainous landscape and two dozen indigenous languages still spoken today. The coffee is no different. There is a profile for everyone in Guatemala. The large range of altitudes and microclimates provide many ideal yet different growing conditions for Arabica coffee.
OFI Guatemala began in 2011 starting operations in Huehuetenango. Since then, we have grown to be one of the largest exporters in the country with a pan Guatemala reach and presence. We have 7 Farmer Centers placed at the doorstep of smallholders, and hence are uniquely positioned to support farmers throughout the crop cycle. Our proximity gives us both the chance to know who grows the coffee and provides the chance to offer region and farmer traceable lots.
The communication and engagement with the many smallholders is year round. We have one some of the largest certification supply chains in the country for Rainforest Alliance Coffee. In the last couple years, we have committed to long term Sustainability Projects with a diverse group of partners to provide durable solutions to the some of the challenges the farmers face. Some of those partnerships have supported Coffee Camps (AtS video link to Coffee Camps). Other partnerships are dedicated to a three year long training program to enable smallholders to treat their farm like a business while improving quality and production.
Once that coffee comes to market we have some incredible tools we provide to the farmers to increase their market access and reward better quality with better prices. This economic opportunity is unique in a country where many intermediaries don’t pay for quality or provide transparency. When the coffees are very special, they can be sold as one of our two Specialty coffee brands: Jabiru (Video link please) or Blue Ayarza (video link please). This year we will be launching Café Delas Guatemala, a very special coffee from smallholder women farmers. The project is dedicated to improving the quality of their coffee through education and on-farm trainings.
