Marisela

High in the mountains of Huehuetengago, Guatemala, Marisela tends her small coffee farm with extraordinary care. After her husband left to seek work elsewhere, she took full responsibility for the farm, determined not to let years of hard work disappear.

Every harvest is a labor of dedication. Marisela handpicks only the ripest cherries, sorts each one by hand, and depulps the coffee the very same day to preserve its quality. She carefully washes the beans, changes the water over two nights, and patiently dries them until they’re ready for export. Every step reflects her commitment to producing exceptional coffee.

Marisela is also one of 17 women in a 25-member cooperative that was founded to create better opportunities for small coffee producers. Together, they are working to move beyond middlemen and build direct relationships with buyers who recognize the true value of their coffee and support women producers that are overseeing farms by themselves. For Marisela, every purchase helps support not only her family, but also a community of women determined to preserve their farms, improve their livelihoods, and continue producing remarkable Guatemalan coffee.

Tasting Notes: Blueberries, ripe grapes, and sugar cane. Sweet, vibrant, and beautifully complex.