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Guatemalan coffees are grown at high altitudes, surrounded by volcanoes, mountain peaks, and national parks. The average altitude for coffee farms here is higher than in other Central American countries: about 85% of the coffee grown is of the Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) type, produced between 1,300 and 2,000 meters above sea level. These coffees have a silky mouthfeel and often taste like a mix of chocolate, stone fruits, spices, and florals.
How two price crises reshaped the landscape
Most of Guatemala’s coffee comes from small farms, with 97% being less than 2 hectares. There are also around 3,600 medium-sized farms (201-2,000 hectares) and 354 large farms (more than 2,000 hectares). Medium and large farms usually produce more, making up 56% of the country’s coffee. Still, a lot of the top-quality SHB coffee comes from small farmers who moved to higher lands.
The coffee scene in Guatemala changed a lot after the International Coffee Agreement (ICA) ended in 1989. The price crashes of the early 1990s and 2000s shook reshaped the sector. Back in the late 1800s, coffee became a big deal for Guatemala’s economy and its main export, mostly grown on large estates. The government took over church-owned and communal lands and sold them to people who wanted to grow coffee, especially German and English immigrants.
These early coffee farms were mainly in lower areas, growing grades like Prime and Extra Prime (below 1,000 meters) and Hard Bean and Semi-Hard Bean (1,000-1,300 meters). They used a lot of cheap labour from indigenous, often migrant communities. Between 1870 and the 1920s, the mandamiento rule forced indigenous campesinos to work on public projects and plantations.
Moving from Prime grade to specialty coffee
This setup of big farms, cheap labour, and high-volume, low-quality coffee stuck around until the 1990s. The first crisis after the ICA ended pushed coffee prices below $0.50 per pound in 1992. While big estates started moving away from coffee, Anacafé (Guatemala’s National Coffee Association) changed strategy. They focused on growing high-quality SHB for premium markets, creating denominations of origin in 1995 and helping small farmers with technical support.
The growing demand for specialty coffee and the move of small farmers to higher altitudes are why so much of Guatemala’s SHB comes from smallholders today. About 35% of these farmers are in cooperatives and associations that help them find better-paying markets through improved quality and certifications. Today, Guatemala is the 9th largest coffee-producing country in the world and the second largest in Central America.
Ten years of learning what roasters like
Guatemalan producers and cooperatives have been selling coffee on Algrano from the start. These farmers have always believed in the potential of specialty coffee and direct trade. Some cooperatives trusted the platform early on, looking for roasters who could help stabilize their markets and improve the income of indigenous communities. They’ve been learning about roasters’ tastes for nearly a decade now, and can offer a wide range of large lots and micro-lots.