Mario Alarcon

Mario Alarcon’s farm is stunningly beautiful. Volcanoes Fuego and Acatenango set a majestic and somewhat menacing backdrop to the immaculately manicured drying beds which sit just below the farmhouse.

Since 2020
Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Mario’s gesha lots are stunning. It is no surprise that the lot we submitted for the 2020 Good Food Awards was a winning submission

Mario Alarcon’s farm is stunningly beautiful. Volcanoes Fuego and Acatenango set a majestic and somewhat menacing backdrop to the immaculately manicured drying beds which sit just below the farmhouse. Surrounding the drying beds are hillsides full of coffee shrubs nestled amongst a canopy of shade trees.

With all this beauty, it is not hard to imagine Mario’s coffee would be equally beautiful. And it is. Next to the drying patios, Mario has built a special parabolic and climate controlled drying house with raised beds. This drying house is where Mario and his team dry their finest lots, including Mario’s crown jewel, his naturally processed gesha.

Mario’s gesha lots are stunning. The aromatics fresh off the grind often remind us of the sweet smell of bubble gum. The tasting notes range from floral, to tropical to berries and wine. With this profile, it is no surprise that the lot we submitted for the 2020 Good Food Awards was a winning submission.

Apart from Mario’s delicious coffee, he has also started an exporting business with his partner Christian Valdez. We’ve had the privilege of visiting their lab in Guatemala City and have purchased lots from their producer partners including Jose Hernandez in Antigua.

It is an honor to work with people like Mario, and we tip our hats to the hard work and dedication Mario has towards constantly pushing the envelope for better and better coffee quality in Guatemala.

It is an honor to work with people like Mario

OUR CURRENT RELATIONSHIP

1Spot purchase

“Spot” is coffee in an importer’s inventory they have not sold. When we need to fill gaps in our contractual and relationship purchases, we buy spot. Of course, we are always open to spot becoming relationship purchases, and sometimes they do.

 2Contract purchase

Most of our purchases are contractual, meaning we have made a commitment to purchase the coffee before it arrives in the US. In general contracts are meant to build security for the producer and importer, and to help us make sure we have the coffee we need to share with you.

 3Repeat purchase

We are proud of the fact that many of the coffees we purchase are repeat purchases, and have been for years. Most producers, especially from Central and South America, can count on us purchasing their coffee year after year.

 4Visits

We’ve met, and have an ongoing relationship with the producer. At a minimum, they have visited us at Sweet Bloom, or we have visited them on the farm. As the relationship deepens, we build our understanding of:

1) challenges faced from one year to the next
2) sustainability practices on the farm
3) how the farmer is caring for their staff
4) ways in which we can support projects the farmers have implemented on the farm and in the community