More about Guatemala - Primavera Family
Guatemala, with a long history in coffee production, is the 10th largest coffee producing country in the world.
Guatemala - Primavera Family originates from Huehuetenango, a.k.a. Huehue! Located in the southeastern part of Guatemala, Huehuetenango means “the city of ancestors.” As the meaning implies, the city was home to one of the rooted civilizations of all times: Mayas! Just like its history, the geography and climate of the region put Huehuetenango in a special place in the world of coffee.
Huehuetenango cherries grow at the high altitudes of the western skirts of rocky mountains facing the Mexican border. Being one of 3 non-volcanic places of Guatemala, Huehuetenango offers a convenient environment for coffee production as the driest region with the highest altitude in the country.
Hot airflows traveling from the Lowlands of Tehuantepec climb up the Highlands of Cuchumatanes and meet cold air. This blend leads to the formation of a natural microclimate that protects cherries from frost and allows them to grow at 2-km altitude. All these make the area highly conducive for coffee production.
Primavera was founded by Nadine Rasch who comes from a four-generation farming family in coffee production in Guatemala with the mission to find the best coffees, provide easy & safe access to coffee producers and contribute to the development and sustainability of coffee production in the region.
Having studied finance in London and worked with specialty coffee importers in Mercanta and Guatemala, Nadine realized that the only way to maintain stable prices for coffee was through improving its quality.
Given that coffee-prolific Huehuetenango is a remote area, farmers’ access to the market was through local coyotes who mix all coffee they collect together, leaving no room for farmers to apply methods to improve the quality of their coffee. Training farmers, giving them access to specialty coffee markets and offering them protective incentives, Nadine changed the course of coffee business with Primavera in Huehuetenango.
Born as part of these initiatives, Primavera Family refers to the blend produced by Guatemalan coffee producers. In times of weak harvests, coffees picked from 10-15 Primavera Family farmers are sold in the form of a blend in order to help farmers sell their coffees for reasonable prices and reinvest in their own coffee business. Moreover, Primavera Family trains small- and medium-sized farmers to improve coffee quality in the region.
Guatemala - Primavera Family coffee goes through a traditional washed process. After being picked, the cherries are pulped and fermented overnight. The next day, they are washed in wet mills on each farm individually, and then sun-dried on patios. The following day, dried parchment coffee is transported to Nadine's family farm at Finca el Hato where it is sorted, dry-milled and prepared for export.
Unlike most regional blends, Guatemala - Primavera Family offers the chance of traceability to single producer level. It includes 84 - 95 point coffees and brews a full bodied cup of coffee with dark chocolate sweetness and almond notes. In filter roast, it produces a sweet almond and nutty flavor.