We work with 14 partners worldwide, from who we source our coffee. In Guatemala, we work together with the Chajulense Association. On this page you can find everything you need to know about this collaboration.

OUR

PARTNERSHIP.

The Chajulense people in the heartland of Guatemala have been producing coffee since the 1980’s. Coffee was introduced by priests who saw it as an opportunity to work on local economic development as part of an effort to make the Chajulense people more independent. This was very much needed because the region and its people suffered greatly from the civil war, being a cog in the system of fighting between the rebels and government soldiers. This sad and bloody history has caused an understandable initial distrust toward outsiders. This is why it was critical to spend time understanding each other before being able to enter into a direct trade relationship with an unknown Dutch roaster called Wakuli.

THE

CHANGEMAKER.

In 2021 we were introduced to the Chajulense Association - a collective of over 1000 coffee farmers high in the Cuchumatanes mountains of north-west Guatemala. Here the Chajulense people, started planting coffee as an act of survival amidst the war surrounding them for decades. This has seen them produce some outstanding coffees, but done in the strict limits of maintaining harmony with the surrounding mountains. They insist on keeping farm sizes small, productivity to a sustainable level, improving income through products like honey and corn. They are represented by Roumaldo who fights to bring their amazing coffees to the market and find partners like Wakuli

THE

COFFEE.

Guatemalan coffee beans are generally appreciated for having balanced, sweet and lasting taste profiles. the. A lot of the coffee is grown at very high altitudes, allowing them to mature slowly to produce very dense and flavourful coffees - it is common to see Guatemalan beans go by the description “SHB”, meaning Strictly Hard Bean, a classification given to coffees grown high above sea level. At these altitudes, the topography also becomes very complex, so farms are often small and very far apart, with each individual farmer taking care of their own coffee processing before delivering it to the cooperative. Depending on the growing region, the result is coffees that are very sweet, with chocolate undertones. Typical taste notes: chocolate, caramel, citrus and ripe fruit.

THE

COUNTRY.

Guatemala is one of the youngest Wakuli partnerships. That doesn't mean it is a new coffee country. High altitudes, consistent rainfall and mineral-rich soils make coffee an excellent crop across much of Guatemala. The nearly 300 unique microclimates means that Guatemalan coffees boast a diverse range of flavours. Coffee production has remained an important income earner for farmers here throughout Guatemala’s tumultuous political history, and in this time it has grown into the 7th largest arabica producer in the world. Maintaining this position is a continued act of resilience however, with climate change, an unstable coffee market, mass migration to the US, and drug trafficking amongst the list of challenges facing the coffee sector.

SOME NUMBERS.

1.034

Farmers

2021

Partnership since

4.485

Total KGs sourced since start of partnership

OUR GUATEMALAN COFFEE

The coffee from Guatemala is available once a year as a Discover Monthly: a monthly rotating specialty coffee in our subscription offer. We sell all of the coffee straight after it comes in, super fresh with a short shelf time. After that, another amazing Discover Monthly will be on offer. Because coffee is a seasonal product in every producing country and logistics are sensitive to changes, the exact timing of the offer is hard to predict. So keep your eyes open for our offers.