The Campesinos

YOUR MORNING CUP OF COFFEE
IS GENERATIONS
IN THE MAKING
Campesinos are what coffee farmers are called in Guatemala. They're the ones who passionately contribute their lives so that we can enjoy a vibrant Guatemalan cup. As we became more involved in the lives of these Campesinos, we never expected to learn of their generational investment in coffee. Many of these Campesinos have upwards of 5 generations of family who have called coffee farming their livelihood. Many of their lands have been passed down from generation to generation and possess a rich historical and relational heritage. 

Antonio

Finca La Colina

Antonio Medina, or Tony as he prefers to be called, has been producing specialty grade exportable crop for years and has even entered in a couple of lots in the Guatemalan Cup of Excellence back in 2015. When we first met Tony in 2018, his coffees were being sold by Madcap in Grand Rapids, MI even though the exporter relationship wasn’t a good one.
 
Since then, he’s been a huge backbone to COSAMAJ. Since many of the members behind COSAMAJ don’t own wet mills, Tony has given the cooperative full permission to use his wet mill. It’s a mutually beneficial type of scenario but not many established farmers offer up this level of assistance to smallholder farming cooperatives. It’s one of the reasons we love being able to buy one of his lots alongside the other 2 cooperative lots, Magnolia and El Sapito.
 
Now that we’ve cupped his coffees for 3 years in a row, this lot has consistently offered a bigger body profile with nice subtle graham cracker and orange citrus notes. Amongst the roasters we work with, it’s been a fan favorite for most espresso blends and wholesale drip coffees for its easy drinking and yet enjoyable profile. 
 
Canajal de Medina receives its name from a geographical region of Jilotepeque called Canajal de Medina. As COSAMAJ, they liked the idea of separating out lots by the various geographical regions in Jilotepeque; which is where the other names, Magnolia and El Sapito, come from as well.

Where do these campesinos live and grow coffee?

Finca La Colina, Guatemala