Costa Rica - Finca Higuerones

Finca Higuerones was acquired by Coopelibertad in the mid-1990s from the Tournon family, and there was concern on the part of Coopelibertad's board members at that time because they thought that the farm could be developed and could cause some problems with the environment and the neighbouring neighbourhoods. This is because on the northeastern boundary of the finca, which is right in front of the street, there are many huge old Higueron trees with incredible exposed roots.

The neighbours know this place as (el raicero) and the farm used to be called Higuerones because of the trees. Now this farm is certified by a Costa Rican project called Nama Café which focuses on reducing the environmental impact of coffee growing and processing such as greenhouse gases.

The farm makes judicious use of agrochemicals to control diseases and has planted trees of and trees of various species have been planted. The diverse shade present on the farm contributes to the stability of the fauna.

The process begins with the reception of the coffee at our processing plant, where a visual inspection and physical analysis is carried out, including the measurement of Brix degrees. 

Subsequently, the coffee is transferred to the Micro Beneficio to undergo mechanical processing with specialised equipment. It begins with pulping and washing, followed by resting in large siphons where the honey is cut. After 24 hours, the coffee is washed and moved to the drying area, either by mechanical drying in greenhouses, on patios or on African beds.

Once the drying process is complete, the coffee enters the plant, where it is stored in Grain Pro bags. After 3 to 4 months, we prepare the coffee for export by removing the parchment through the grinding process. We then sort the coffee by size, colour and density, and store it again in Grain Pro bags and jute bags for export.