There is an effort in specialty coffee to recognize and support the work of women in coffee-producing countries and we love that values-led importers like Sustainable Harvest make it easy for small roasters like us to support those efforts.

This coffee, whose name translates to “coffee with women’s hands,” comes from the ACODIHUE co-op in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala (more details below), and it’s one of our favorite coffees in recent memory.

This is our first offering from Sustainable Harvest, a direct relationship importer whose focus is “creating transparent relationships that increase value throughout the supply chain, all while fostering greater sustainability.”

Aside from the positive social impact we hope buying this coffee brings, it’s also a pleasure to roast and makes a damn fine cup of coffee. In the cup it has a dominant base of milk chocolate balanced with a subtle, but unmistakable, berry sweetness.

For additional information on the coffee’s origin we’ll let Sustainable Harvest’s words fill you in:

ACODIHUE was founded in 1996 in Huehuetenango, a renowned coffee-growing region in western Guatemala. 80% of ACODIHUE’s coffee is grown by indigenous women producers in Cuchumatan, a municipality of Huehuetenango nestled in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America.

The large ratio of women growers at ACODIHUE is due largely in part to the men of that region migrating to the United States, leaving the women behind to tend to their families and to the land. ACODIHUE has obtained the certification of “Manos de Mujer” or “Women’s Hands” in recognition of the contributions these women have made to their households and to the national economy. Only 22% of ACODIHUE’s annual production is designated “Café con Manos de Mujer,” representing a limited, refined selection of the cooperative’s coffee.

ACODIHUE is also focused on supporting the next generation of coffee growers and has implemented a generational advocacy initiative to support and promote the inheritance of farms by the children of coffee farmers. Through the program, youth participate in key training events covering organic production, agronomic best practices, post-harvest management, marketing, and sales. In April 2019, ACODIHUE approved a youth commission to give more decision-making power to their next generation of coffee growers; later that year, the commission signed their first coffee contract.

Like all the best coffees from Huehuetenango, the hallmarks of ACODIHUE’s coffees are exceptional balance and sweetness. Deep caramelized sugars and milk chocolate form the backbones of these coffees, accented by sweet floral notes on the nose. As the coffee cools, this rich sweetness is tempered by a dried fruit acidity, reminiscent of dried currants dipped in chocolate.

Varieties: Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catimor

Origin: Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Elevation: 1200-1850 meters above sea level

Process: Washed

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