Sourcing unique coffees from Ecuador can be a challenge, often held back by high prices, quality inconsistencies, and a lack of trust. What if you could find a partner on the ground who has done the difficult work for you?

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We're thrilled to announce our new partnership with Makicuna, an inspiring team dedicated to bridging the gap between Ecuadorian producers and the European market. Their work is a direct answer to the challenges you face, providing access to a curated selection of lots from trusted producers. With Makicuna, you're not just buying coffee; you're gaining a partner who has already built a foundation of trust for you.

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To tell you more about their experience and the Ecuadorian coffee market, we've handed the floor over to André Guzman, co-founder of Makicuna.

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Coffee in Ecuador

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Ecuador has two main Arabica-producing regions:

• The North West – close to Quito, with a very humid climate, cloud forests, and peaks above 4,000 masl. Cool nights and long rainy seasons define this region.
  
  
• Loja Province – in the south, historically known for coffee, with a drier climate, lower mountains, and a more traditional character.

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Sourcing Unique Coffee

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Makicuna was founded in 2018 by me, André, and Claudia with the vision of re-connecting with Ecuador, representing the work of coffee producers, and bridging the gap between Ecuadorian coffee and the European market.

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Our mission is to connect producers with roasters, to represent the incredible work being done in Ecuador, and to showcase this beautiful country to the world. Much of our journey has been an eye-opening revelation of Ecuador’s potential. But what are the challenges of sourcing coffee here, and how do we find the right partners?

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What Are the Challenges?

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We know that coffee sourcing anywhere in the world comes with its own difficulties, and many of them are shared across borders. In Ecuador, however, the main challenges we’ve faced are:

1. High and unstable pricing.
2. Inconsistency in quality.
3. Lack of trust and commitment from producers towards external partners.

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Pricing

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The price of green coffee in Ecuador is among the highest in the world. This is largely due to Ecuador’s use of the US dollar as its currency, which raises the cost of living compared to neighbouring countries. Inevitably, this affects transport, milling and labour costs.

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Farm sizes and yields are also generally much smaller than in other Latin American countries, partly due to a historic lack of investment in agriculture. This means producers often face higher investment per hectare yet lower returns than their peers abroad. Climate change has only exacerbated this issue, though it affects farmers globally.

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Because specialty coffee in Ecuador does not follow the C-price directly, price standards can vary dramatically. Locally, we regularly see speculation and swings as large as $10/lb for parchment of the same cup quality.

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To address this, we work closely with producers to establish fair and consistent pricing, always respecting their perspective—the final decision remains theirs. Long-term contracts are another way to stabilise prices, which is why we prioritise building continued partnerships that are fair for all sides.

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Quality

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Inconsistency of quality has been another major challenge, affecting both highly invested farms and more traditional ones.The main issues we're seeing are inconsistency in cupping scores, and defects like phenols and quakers. Factors include climate volatility, pest and disease outbreaks, and labour shortages. Tackling this requires a genuine commitment from producers to maintain quality, supported by incentives such as higher pay and the stability of long-term relationships.

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Trust

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A lack of trust towards external partners is understandable, given Ecuador’s history with unreliable middlemen, dishonoured contracts, and delayed payments. Producers under financial pressure often sell to the first buyer who pays—even if the price is lower—to relieve immediate cashflow concerns.

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This is why we ask roasters, when possible, to pay producers part of their payment in advance when they need it most, well before the coffee sets sail. This helps ease financial pressure and builds trust. 

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Finding the Right Partners

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Often, the right partners find us. Independent producers seeking a bridge to international roasters usually hear about us through neighbours and peers we already work with. Building a relationship always begins with meeting in person, visiting the farm, and agreeing on terms grounded in trust and respect.

Not every relationship works out, and sometimes parting ways is necessary. But with those that endure, trust deepens and partnerships thrive.

We believe every coffee is unique when you consider the story behind it. For this reason, we don’t select coffee solely on cupping scores, but on the people and values behind it.

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The 2025 Harvest

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This year’s harvest began later than usual due to shifting climatic conditions, forcing producers to adapt both post-harvest processes and budgets. Despite this, production from our producing partners have grown by an average of 30% compared to last year, and overall quality is the highest we’ve seen since we began.

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The biggest challenges producers now face are migration and climate change. In the past four years, Ecuador has experienced another wave of outward migration, particularly from rural areas, creating labour shortages in the coffee industry. Last year also brought severe droughts followed by an intense but delayed rainy season, leading to increased pest and disease pressure, especially roya. In the North West, some producers still struggle to eliminate phenolic taints in certain lots.

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Once more, long-term relationships play a key role in mitigating these challenges. They provide stability, allowing producers to employ more people and to focus on adapting to changing climatic conditions.

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Our First Year with Algrano

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For our first collaboration with Algrano, we’ve curated 10 lots from trusted producers:

• 3 classic lots (2 washed, 1 honey): one from a respected association resisting illegal mining in northern Ecuador, and two from Cruz Loma, an award-winning, family-run farm known for quality and consistency. (Cruz Loma - Caturra Honey, Cruz Loma - Caturra Washed)

• 6 premium lots: showcasing Ecuador’s renowned clean, sweet, and elegant washed coffees, particularly Sidra and Typica Mejorado, along with a standout Natural from San Agustin Estate.
  
  
• 1 top-range lot: from CVM Cooperative in southern Ecuador—Finca Eliza Gesha Washed, scoring 90.25.

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Sourcing coffee in Ecuador is beautiful and complex, shaped by surprising moments around the cupping table, high costs, variable quality and structural challenges. Yet by setting clear expectations, encouraging fair payment practices and building consistent partnerships, it is possible to create stability for producers and roasters alike. The work is ongoing, but the progress we’ve seen shows that these efforts are worthwhile.