Native Maya Lenca has produced good coffee in the Puca Opalaca mountain range for generations. Although the quality of the coffee has always been good, in recent years it has gained the competitive attributes and access to a larger market that has allowed it to flourish. In the early 2000s after a missionary named Mary Kennedy had been in San Francisco de Opalaca she began working with groups of Volunteers and industry professionals from within Honduras to improve growing practices. These included organic fertilizers, sustainability, better growing, harvesting, and processing methods, and forming a Community-based Cooperative. Pooling everyone’s years of hard work into a single more streamlined center of operations.
COAINLL (Cooperativa Agricultural Indigena Lenca Limited) was built using the same clay and vegetation as all the homes. Over the years we’ve seen cement patios and modern greenhouse dryers built around the Coop which now boasts multiple small warehouses. The quality of the coffee has grown exponentially over the years and we are proud to share the coffee that has traveled so far with everyone.
The Coop boasts 40 farmers and their families and continues to grow and support the community at large bringing a much higher and fair pay to the members that work so hard. The climate and rain that allow for this coffee to flourish also make day-to-day life more difficult. Impassable roads and washed-out bridges make transport difficult to and from farms as well as to the nearest city impossible at times.
The coffee is all strictly high-grown (SHG) arabica coffee and is direct trade certified. Our/my direct connection to this place means less trading hands of the coffee and allows for fair compensation to the growers and their families.
Our goal is to send as much back to the farmers in Opalaca while delivering an exceptional cup of coffee
