HISTORY
From the outside, Mexico is a growing economic force, ranking 64th globally in GDP per capita. However, the coffee-producing states in the south of the country face a very different economic reality.
Production yields in these regions have dropped dangerously. In the last ten years, coffee leaf rust and a lack of financial or agricultural resources to combat it have reduced production by up to 90% in some areas. Currently, the average yield in Oaxaca is only 100 kg per hectare. To put this into context, the average in Colombia is 2,400 kg per hectare.
The vast majority of Mexico's 500,000 coffee producers are small farmers with one hectare or less of land dedicated to coffee. This means their average annual production is barely 100 kg, making coffee farming increasingly unsustainable.
Our importer works with several producer groups in Oaxaca. These partnerships help improve the profitability and viability of coffee production in the region. The long-term goal is to increase yields and generate stable demand at a fair price by connecting roasters with producers. Trusting relationships are built, and the foundation is laid for pricing and pre-financing coffee.
For most producers in the Mazateca region, coffee cultivation is an inherited tradition and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. They generally follow a traditional washing process with longer fermentations than usual, due to the region's climatic conditions during the harvest.
The Mazateca Mountains are located north of Oaxaca City and form a large part of the state's border with Veracruz. The region is very remote, difficult to access, and marked by its complex topography. The area is also known for its mystical elements, with a strong culture of shamanism and the use of psychoactive mushrooms, which made it an unexpected center of alternative tourism in the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, the region has little tourism, forgotten even in the coffee world for its challenging conditions, remote locations, and small production. Even by Oaxaca's already low standards, production yields are very low. Coffee is generally grown from 1,500 meters above sea level in the Mazateca region. At these latitudes, these altitudes can experience very low temperatures, making frost damage a real problem for producers.
On the other hand, this climate and altitude also contribute positively to the coffee's profile, and in general, Mazateca coffees are among the most complex and highest quality in all of Mexico.
The Peña Colorada group is not a formal cooperative or association, but rather a community-led group of producers. Working closely with them, the goal is to open access to the specialty market for Mazateca producers and provide a sustainable and profitable supply chain for their coffees. This will offer a stable and profitable alternative to selling to local intermediaries at a market-based price, which is currently the only option for many producers. Over time, this supply chain can generate capital and investment to improve yields, production volumes, and quality in Mazateca.
