CAFE DE ELETA

Nestled in the highlands of northwestern Panama, next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of La Amistad International Park, Café de Eleta stands for flavor, tradition and sustainability.

Originally established in 1978 by don Fernando Eleta Almaran, the Eleta estate primarily produced agricultural crops and livestock. In 1995 the company began to specialize exclusively in coffee, growing its first lot of arabica coffee, a Catuai variety, preserving the primary and secondary forests and abundant streams throughout the farm. It was at this time that the company took the name of Café de Eleta, S.A. Since then, Café de Eleta has significantly expanded, growing to nearly 420 hectares. The farm’s first exported coffee in 1998, catering mainly to European and American markets.

The Eleta coffee estate represents an important buffer zone for La Amistad International Park. Located between 1,250 and 1,500 meters above sea level, the coffee-growing areas are surrounded by tropical rainforest with temperatures between 18° and 24° C and annual rainfall between 2,000 and 4,000 mm. The soils, flora, fauna and microclimate combine to offer one of the best environments for growing specialty coffee of the highest quality.

Today, 200 hectares of Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Geisha, Maragogype, Pacamara and Typica coffee varieties are grown, and even Peaberry is available by special request. The farm uses state-of-the-art technology in order to procure a sustainable, environmentally conscious coffee processing operation, including the organic treatment of wastewater from the washed coffee processes and composting of solid waste.
Coffeeprocesses include washed, natural, honey and experimental. For natural process coffee, grains are harvested at their ripest and dried on raised beds or patios, and by mechanical air dryers. Washed coffee processes include meticulous fermentation to achieve the perfect balance in the cup.

The Eleta estate employs 50 people year-round and, during the harvest, provides employment for 700 additional workers, many of whom come from indigenous communities around Panama, primarily from the Ngabe-Bugle indigenous jurisdiction.

Honoring our founder’s spirit for community service, in 2000 the Eleta estate established ‘La Escuelita Café de Eleta’ (Café Eleta’s Little School), a daycare and school project developed to prevent child labor and to promote education. Starting with just one room, the school has grown to serve the wider community, with a three-classroom schoolhouse, where in partnership with Casa Esperanza, children receive healthy meals, support with math and reading, and medical attention. Also, since 2016, Café de Eleta has been certified as compliant for its good practices by Panama’s Ministry of Labor.

Since 2000, the farm has been part of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama and has participated in the Best of Panama cupping competition, achieving outstanding scores. Since 2003, Café de Eleta is also a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, focusing on producing specialty coffee in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Piedra de Candela, Renacimiento, Chiriquí
Contacto: Guillermo de Saint Malo Eleta
+507 395-0000
email info@cafedeeleta.com
web www.cafeeleta.com
Instagram: @cafeeleta
twitter: @cafeeleta
Facebook: @cafeeleta