A lively, vibrant coffee from Tenejapa, Mexico. With its subtle sweetness and crisp fruitiness, it tastes of lemonade, red berries, delicate vanilla, honey, and coffee blossoms.
A refreshing coffee for your morning cup or as a cold brew in the summer.
This coffee originates from the mist-shrouded highlands of Tenejapa in the central highlands of Chiapas, Southern Mexico. In this region, coffee plants grow protected under a dense canopy, and the coffee cherries ripen slowly in the cool, humid mountain climate. This extended ripening period allows for a better development of sugars and flavor compounds, leading to more complex and balanced cup profiles. The combination of volcanic soils, abundant shade, and altitudes up to 1,350 m creates ideal conditions for complex and balanced coffees.
This coffee is produced by small family farms of the Tzeltal, an indigenous Mayan group in Chiapas. Their cultivation methods are based on traditional knowledge passed down through generations, rooted in deep respect for and harmony with nature itself. The Tzeltal cultivate their coffees in smallholder agroforests – a mix of shade trees and food crops like corn, beans, and fruit trees. This sustainable farming approach not only supports coffee cultivation but also promotes healthy soils, pollinators, and the long-term fertility of the land. Fertilizers and pesticides are homemade – compost from leaves and plant residues, natural pest control using mixes of chili and lime. This creates an agricultural system that works in rhythm with nature – with care, experience, and great respect for the ecosystem from which the families derive their livelihood.
On small plots of less than 2 hectares, various coffee varieties are grown, including traditional Typica selections, Caturra, Marsellesa, and Costa Rica 95. This diversity contributes to the resilience of the plants and a differentiated aroma in the finished coffee. The ripe coffee cherries are selectively hand-picked and processed directly on the farms. Each family processes their harvested coffee cherries themselves – from pulping, fermentation, and washing to dried parchment coffee, which is then delivered to a local collection point or mill.
For this washed process, the cherries are pulped and then fermented for 24–36 hours before the coffee is washed and sun-dried for 8–12 days on roofs, nets, or wooden racks. Since individual lots are produced in small, artisan-managed batches, the profiles vary slightly from farm to farm. This natural diversity often brings additional complexity and depth to the coffee – a characterful coffee that directly reflects the work and terroir of the producers.
