Member Profiles

Specialty Coffee from Volcancito, Boquete , Republic of Panama.

Name of the Estate:  Finca Cafelandia
Contact:  Virginia Rojas de Pittí
Location:  Volcancito Boquete, Panamá
Cel.  6677-6856

In a beautiful natural plateau, located in the Volcancito area in the Valley of Boquete, we find the Estate Finca Cafelandia.

It is at an elevation of 1500 meters above sea level and has a year round temperature of 23C° at noon time and as low as 12C° during the night. It is situated in the slopes of the highest elevation of Panama which is the Baru Volcano (3,475mts). The fertile volcano soil provides the excellent nutrients to grow coffee of its fine varieties that will enrich the connoisseur´s palate.

The farm was established as a self-sustainable “finca” by its founder Mr. Máximo Rojas Arce and his wife Mrs. Corina Rovira in the early years of the 20^th century. On the farm, he had sugar cane, a small mill, some dairy cattle, a vegetable garden, and also they grew coffee.

In 1971, the two sister Rojas; Mrs.Virginia Rojas de Pitti and Mrs. Minerva Rojas de Wong, inherited the farm and continued working in the old way.

Changes occurred on the farm in the 1990 decade when the Specialty Coffee movement was introduced in Boquete and the two sisters started to follow it closely.

The 28 hectare farm was changed little by little into a complete coffee plantation. But, in the year 2004, the Geisha Coffee was discovered as a variety that was a complete different cup, it won many prizes around the world and by the year 2006, Mrs. Virginia decided to plant a small portion of the farm with it. She decided not only to go with Geisha but also plant Pacamara that was producing excellent results in the coffee competition “The Best of Panama”.

 

Contact: Xenia de Ameglio
Phone: +507 6357-4031
Email:  info@cafelinopanama.com
www.cafelinopanama.com

Our Estate, Santa Elena, is located on the slopes of the iconic Piedra de Lino Hill that surrounds part of the scenic Boquete Valley. It has an extension of 44 hectares, 20% primary rainforest, an altitude of 1200 to 1530 masl, and a year-round temperature that ranges between 62ºF and 75ºF.

This land has been dedicated to coffee for almost 100 years. The estate was acquired in 2011, and we began an intensive process of modernization and reorganization of the farm and its production processes at that time; as a result, we have been renovating the entire plantation year after year since then.

The conditions of our microclimate; the volcanic soil, altitude, temperature, rain, and winds are uniquely combined shaping our “terroir” which is reflected in the delightful aroma and flavor that distinguish our coffee.

Catuai, Caturra, Obata, Geisha, and Pacamara are some of the arabica varieties we grow on our estate.

Our coffee cherries are selectively handpicked by our team at its peak of maturity and submitted to traditional processing methods processes such as natural, washed and honey and as well as innovative alternative methods. Afterwards, it’s slow-dried on African beds in our solar dryer.

Our team that lives on our establishments have safe and clean housing standards.

We ensure their living area stays neat and well ventilated at all times, guaranteeing pleasant and comfortable conditions to encourage productivity.

At Cafelino, we are faithfully committed to environmental sustainability, employee well-being, and exceptional product quality.

En la ladera de la emblemática Piedra de Lino, uno de los cerros que bordea el pintoresco valle del pueblo de Boquete, se encuentra nuestra finca, Santa Elena.

La finca tiene una extensión de 44 Hectáreas, dentro de las cuales hay un 20% de bosque primario. Su altitud oscila entre 1250 y 1480 msnm., con una temperatura que fluctúa entre los 17 y 24 grados Centígrados todo el año.

Estas tierras han estado dedicadas a la producción de café por casi 100 años. La propiedad fue adquirida en el año 2011, a partir de esta fecha iniciamos un intensivo proceso de modernización y reestructuración de la finca y de sus procesos productivos; así mismo, desde entonces hemos venido año tras año renovando toda la plantación. Para ello tenemos nuestro propio vivero donde crecemos plantones de las distintas semillas seleccionadas.

Las características de nuestro microclima; el suelo volcánico, altura, temperatura, lluvia y vientos se combinan de manera singular y balanceada para formar nuestro “terroir” que se manifiesta en el delicioso sabor y aroma que distingue a todos nuestros cafés.

Entre las variedades de café arábigo que cultivamos en la finca tenemos:

Catuai, Caturra, Obatá, Geisha y Pacamara.

Nuestro café es cosechado en su punto máximo de madurez, seleccionado cuidadosamente a mano por nuestros colaboradores y tratado bajo los distintos procesos de cafés especiales: Lavado, Miel, Natural y métodos alternativos. Posteriormente es secado lentamente en camas africanas dentro de nuestro secador solar.

Todos nuestros colaboradores que viven en la finca disponen de condiciones de vivienda dignas e higiénicas. Mantenemos siempre limpia y bien ventilada el área de la vivienda cuidando así que el ambiente y la calidad de la estancia de todos se mantenga en condiciones saludables y cómodas para incentivar la productividad.

En Cafelino estamos fielmente comprometidos con el cuidado del medio ambiente, con la calidad de vida de nuestros colaboradores y con la mejora continua en la calidad de nuestros productos.

Instagram: cafelinopanama
Facebook: cafelinopanama
LinkedIn: CAFELINO

Our experienced labor team is 99% Ngäbe Bugle tribe who have been properly trained to work with specialty coffees. Since the beginning of our farming operations in 2008, innovation has always been one of our priorities. Therefore, multiple processes trials have been conducted in our farm bringing nothing but exciting results that we have proudly shared with local coffee producers. We at Finca Los Cenizos are committed to ensuring a one of a kind coffee cup experience while complying with good agricultural practices and supporting local communities where our farming activities take place.

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

 

 

 

Our History

During the early 1920’s, Mr. Segundo Diaz, a Colombian soldier started the coffee plantation La Berlina Estate.

Its 9 farms and 150 hectares, have a production capacity from 2,000 quintals to 10,000 quintals per year.

Most of the coffee variety grown in Boquete, Chiriquí is Arabica coffee, grown at an elevation range of 1500 m – 2000 m MSL, with a median temperature of 17ºC and mild  temporary rains (also known as “bajareque”), has become the perfect scenario for  coffee plantations for Geisha, Pacamara, Catuai, Caturra, Typica, Bourbon, Arabica and Criollo. Among the estates producing coffee, Berlina Estate is one of the oldest and most regarded. The estate is the first to roast gourmet coffee in the region.

Berlina Estate, was a finalist in the best of Panamá from 1997 to 1999, was awarded by the SCAA-US Cupping Pavilion in 2000, and in Paris from 2004 to 2006.

Production Process

The state is fully equipped with a systematic approach in growing their coffee beans, and have adopted an artisan / manual processing system, utilizing both dry and wet processing methods. This organic collection is made by the indigenous groups of Ngäbe-Buglé and local people, who have dedicated  their lives by skill and tradition to the collection of cherry-picking, that are later carefully cleansed with natural spring water fountains, which preserves the powerful characteristics profile of the coffee bean, which makes it so sought after.

 

E-mail:

Telephone: (507) 720-1000

 

Contact:

Ana Isabel Castillo
Sales
Email: anacastillo@castelara.com

Andreina Castillo
Marketing
Email: andreinacastillo@castelara.com

Social Media:
Instagram: @cafecastelara
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cafe-Castelara

Address:

Finca Castelara
Alto Jaramillo, Boquete
Chiriquí, Panamá
Family Owned Coffee

We invite you to watch our Manifesto:

 

  

PRODUCERS

Finca Castelara is a family owned company that produces specialty coffee in the beautiful highlands of Boquete since 1960.

The new generation of the Castillo family, Carlos Santiago Castillo and his wife Ana Isabel Arauz Guardia, along with the third generation Ana Isabel, Andreina and Carlos Jr. are devoted to producing the best quality in specialty coffee since 1994. We take pride to produce coffee with the highest standards taking care of every detail of our coffee plants, each process we choose, the environment, and our family of collaborators.

The new generation has joined the management of the farm with new ideas and processes that have taken our coffee to international auctions with awards and record prices in the sale of coffee. Our geisha has been awarded as one of the best in the world in national and international competitions, and today almost all of the production is exported to buyers in Europe and Asia.

COFFEE ESTATE 

Its privileged location at a height between 1600 and 1800 meters above sea level; with breathtaking views overlooking the Baru Volcano, makes this place a sanctuary with a microclimate ideal for our coffee trees, exotic plants, birds including the famous Quetzal, and other endangered birds and animals.

We also have two water springs, which are the main source of water for our coffee estate.

COFFEE

We produce high quality Geisha, Catuai and Pacamara with different processes such as natural, washed, honey, and anaerobic slow dry.

Our coffee has natural notes of complex aromatic profiles including Caramel, Orange, Almonds, Chocolate, Jazmin, and we strive to always produce a well balanced and clean cup.

Castelara has its own greenhouse and cupping room. In our greenhouse we preserve coffee tree genetics to  maintain a young plantation. In our cupping room that we like to call “The Lab”, we taste coffee for quality control and are pleased to receive guests to share the experience of tasting the different varieties and processes

VALUES

We are committed to providing a safe, healthy, and respectful social work environment. We strive to produce quality coffee, with the use of good agricultural practices respectful of the land and the people that makes it possible to produce our great coffee. Our teams work with non-renewable energy (propane gas), which is a clean medium that does not cause pollution to the environment.We elaborate our own organic coffee pulp, in order to support the soil and, stimulating the micro and meso biological life of the soil. For us it is of great importance, the care of non-renewable resources such as water and soil to which we give an effective use.

By helping our collaborators, who are also artisans, to develop and refine their skills, design and create innovative products that we offer here, we also expand their economic opportunities. This, together with the support programs we offer to the indigenous people and their families, translates into benefits for the improvement in the quality of their life.

We are Cafe Castelara and it’s a pleasure to meet you!

Damarli Estate is a specialty coffee plantation hidden in the mountains of Boquete, Panama. All the coffee at Damarli Estate are hand picked ripe coffee cherries, which are carefully hand processed and evaluated by the owners David Pech and Keith Pech to create exquisite and outstanding coffees. Damarli Estate offers its clients worldwide a wide selection of different varietals through its Varietal Collection and additional coffees through its Tradicional Coffee Label. Furthermore, to support its vision toward sustainable production, Damarli Estate built a completely solar powered coffee laboratory, kitchen, private suites and sunrise veranda. Both Keith and David hope to use the estate to connect with baristas, roasters and coffee enthusiasts to enjoy the natural beauty of the farm, to share outstanding coffees and to strengthen the specialty coffee community.

History

Damarli Estate was founded in 1995 when David Pech purchased the farm. It was named Damarli after the initial investors: DA – for David, MA – for Manfred (David’s father), R – for Ruth (David’s mother) and LI – for Lia (David’s wife). Initially Lia’s family managed the estate, because the Ruiz family had four generations of experience in growing coffee in Boquete, and because David and Lia lived in the United States. However, the coffee from the estate was never sold under Damarli Estate, but rather was put into one of the Ruiz export coffee blends.

In 2014 Keith Pech, David’s son, who had been extensively involved with specialty coffee movement since he was a child, finished his undergraduate degree in the United States. Keith had studied both International Business and Sustainability and he decided he wanted to develop the coffee from Damarli Estate into an internationally recognized specialty coffee producer. Keith moved to Boquete in the fall of 2014 and began to completely run the operations at Damarli Estate. This move to continue the producing legacy would make him a fifth generation producer from the Ruiz family.

Keith first began by understanding the farm and the different areas and varieties found on the farm. On the farm there are many different varieties: Typica, Bourbon, Geisha, Pacamara, Caturra and Catuai. Keith started to attend different coffee shows and interacting with the different producers in Panama to learn as much as he could. After two years, Keith is now a certified Arabica Q Grader; Damarli Estate exports coffees to the United States, to Taiwan and to Europe; And David completed the solar powered coffee laboratory, kitchen, private suites and sunrise veranda.

Website:

www.damarliestate.com

 

Contact:

David Pech

david@damarliestate.com

Keith Pech

keith@damarliestate.com

Producer: Jamison Savage

Instagram: @finca_deborah
Website: www.fincadeborah.com , www.savagecoffees.net
Email: info@savagecoffees.net

Region: Volcan, Chiriqui Highlands

Terroir:
Soils: Highly Organic, Volcanic
Direction: Multiple, predominately east
Annual Rainfall: 2200-2500 ml
Elevation: 1900-2000 MASL
Average Humidity: 75%
Average Temperature: 17 C

Varieties:
Geisha, Red Bourbon, Red Caturra, SL-28, Sidra, Casiopia, African Heirlooms

THE PLANTATION

Located at an elevation of 1900+ meters and nestled deep in the mountains of Volcan, Finca Deborah is shrouded in dense cloud coverage for most of the year. The plantation is a beautiful, natural environment where rare species of plants and animals are abundant and where Geisha grows to its full potential under the protection of the lush rainforest canopy.

THE HARVEST

Carefully monitoring the harvesting is one of the most critical steps in a long list of quality control requirements. By hand picking only the ripest cherries and processing those cherries that meet our exacting standards, can we ensure that Finca Deborah Geisha is one of the world’s best Geisha coffees.

THE COFFEE

Finca Deborah’s mission is to cultivate, process, and deliver only the highest quality coffee available anywhere in the world.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Finca Deborah has the distinct privilege of working with some of the most talented and creative names in coffee. Our coffees have made notable progress in both national and world competition, with frequent podium finishes.
In 2016 Deborah washed Geisha was used to win the World Barista Championship in Dublin, Ireland, frequently showcased during prestigious events, and served in some of the world’s most distinguished restaurants by highly acclaimed chefs.

THE BACKBONE OF FINCA DEBORAH

The Nôbe-Buglé people are the primary workforce on the farm and are the backbone of Finca Deborah. We understand that our operation could not exist without their skill and expertise. We strive to ensure that their needs are met with an abundance of care and compassion.

SUSTAINABILITY

Traditional electric power is not available in the remote location that is home to Finca Deborah. So, we’ve had to improvise. Our beneficio, or processing center, is powered by our own robust solar system, which further preserves the integrity and sustainability of this unique environment. In addition, as a shade grown coffee plantation, Finca Deborah blends seamlessly with the mountain landscape, sustains the natural environment, and maintains a haven for the local bird and wildlife populations.

 

Articles of Interest

https://www.baristahustle.com/research-papers/jamison-savage-finca-deborah/

https://www.coffeereview.com/review/panama-finca-deborah-afterglow-geisha-natural/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piu6byyh_sk

https://archerscoffee.com/blogs/news/archers-coffee-producers-talk-jamison-savage?_pos=3&_sid=e25b66e08&_ss=r

https://projectorigin.coffee/savage-coffees-and-the-future-of-panama-coffees-jamison-savage/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lmowery/2016/07/21/how-to-quit-your-job-and-become-a-coffee-producer/?sh=1e815d61dd09

Contact: Stefan Arwed Müller
M +507 66184545, O +507 3926366
Email: cafedonbenjie@gmail.com
              smuller@mbpanama.com
Facebook:    MD Estate Coffee inc   @cafedonbenjie
Instagram:  #cafedonbenjie

 

Finca Don Benjie , our  beautiful coffee plantation of 33 hectares is located in the Highlands of Chiriquí, north of the town of Boquete in the Bajo Mono Canyon, at the slopes of the Barú Volcano.

The farm lies alongside the pristine waters of the Caldera River in the Bajo Mono Canyon and the altitude of the plantation ranges from 1400 to 1550 meters. Bajo Mono is known amongst the best regions for growing great quality coffees, as the region is blessed with volcanic soil, crystal clear spring water fountains, the famous mist called Bajareque, forming one of the many microclimates that make the region famous for specialty coffee growing.

The de Dianous Family arrived in Boquete in 1914 where Gabriel de Dianous purchased the first coffee farm also in Bajo Mono. Since then the family has been in the coffee business.

The farm was first owned by an American Lady, Mrs Archer  who was one of the pioneers in Boquete.  Dr Renan Esquivel, a very well known Panamanian pediatrician purchased the farm in the 1980s. He was a nature enthusiast and he planted many exotic trees, plants and coffee varietals that are being preserved.

The mystic location and landscape of the farm is an attraction for tourists, nature and coffee enthusiasts.

The new owners Jose Benjamin de Dianous G. and Stefan Arwed Müller started operating the farm in 2011, committed to quality and preserving the environment.

Our brand and commercial name is Café Don Benjie as a tribute to Mr Benjamin de Dianous Henriquez, who is known in the town of Boquete as Don Benjie. Benjamin de Dianous has always been a coffee enthusiast and has contributed to the town and coffee business of Boquete.

Our Arabica varietals are:

Typica, Caturra, Catuai (red and yellow) Magarogype Geisha, Bourbon (red, pink and orange) Pacamara and Kenya SL’s.

We are very proud to have been able to achieve the Third Place for theTraditional Natural Category at the Best of Panama with our Maragogipe Carbonic Maceration, Bellavista Lot.

Our plantation is under a constant renewal, always aiming for excellent quality, taking care of the environment and the well being of our workforce. We are producing micro lots of specialty coffees that are carefully harvested by varietal and then processed as naturals, washed, using innovative fermentation techniques (Carbonic Maceration, Natural Yeast Fermentations etc) to bring out the best of our unique terroir.

Our washed coffees are pulped with a very limited use of spring water in order to contribute to the environment, always aiming for a cup of excellence.

We proudly produce Specialty Coffees with care of the environment and our workforce.

We export our coffees to Germany, Austria, Corea, the USA, Taiwan and Japan