Cordillera Alotepeque Metapan

Farmlevel Story

Alejandro Valiente’s family has grown coffee in the Metapán region of north-west El Salvador for four generations. When he took control of the mill in 2010, he began experimenting with processing techniques, determined to showcase the potential of coffees from this region and to make his mark on the rising specialty coffee community. 

Alejandro assumed a leadership role within his community, helping local producers develop improved processing techniques. The infrastructure of the mill was upgraded with the construction of three-tiered drying beds that are specially designed to blend with natural landscape. A purpose-built cupping lab was established on-site so that the local farmers can sample and assess their own coffee. The project now works directly with 67 small producers with farms of 1-3 hectares for 100% traceability on each micro-lot. A fully solar-powered dry mill has been established on site to save on milling costs and to be fully vertically integrated in the supply chain. The team has been a pioneer in sustainable practices and it’s inspiring to see how seamlessly their practices work with the environment to produce great coffees.