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The Story:
This relatively small country boasts one of
the most climatically diverse regions in the world. The
soil, rainfall, humidity, altitude, and temperature are
varied enough to produce seven distinct types of Guatemala
Arabica coffee. Terms typically used to describe Guatemalan
coffees include "highly-nuanced," "fruity"
and "complex."
The Huehuetenango growing region sits on the
Caribbean-facing slopes of the central highlands in Guatemala.
The mountains rise to over 11,000 feet, but winds from the
Tehuantepec plain in Mexico protect the region from frost
and create its unique microclimate. The average temperature
is 73°F. It's proximity to the Pacific Ocean makes for
subtropical and humid climate that contributes to the coffee
beans' beautiful appearance and uniform maturation.
Coop Rio Azul is a 186 member cooperative
founded in 1967. The members of Rio Azul all live no more
than a 1.5-hour walk to the wet mill in Jacaltenango. This
allows the cooperative complete control over several stages
of the quality process. Coffee is picked by members until
early afternoon and then delivered in cherry form to the
mill each day beginning around 3 pm. All coffee is depulped,
fermented, washed and dried at the coop's mill.
More than 200,000 people in the Guatemalan
coffee industry have lost jobs in the last three years alone.
Belonging to a COOP and being assured of a Fair-Trade wage
is a luxury that keeps many of the farmers in business.
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