New Single Origin Coffee: Honduras Marcala

Brought to Equator Coffee Roasters from the Marcala region is our new single origin coffee: Honduras Marcala (not to be confused with our Honduras Natural micro lot, which is also from the same region). It will be available for purchase in-stores and online from August 1st until about September 5th. 

History Of The Cafe Organico Marcala Cooperative S.A.

Cafe Organico Marcala S.A., or COMSA, was founded in December of 2001 by 69 small-scale coffee farmers of Lenca origin that have since grown the cooperative to a total of 1,644 members, 1,030 of whom are organic members. Originally interested in the collective sale of their coffees under a rural credit union, this organization’s vision is to support the Marcala region’s small-scale farmers through the creation of new and alternative development opportunities. This led to shifting production from chemical processes to using organic practices as well as focusing on specialty market buyers rather than commercial ones, which has been of instrumental value to the farmers whose old prices didn’t even cover production costs.

However, this wasn’t an easy transition by any means as the move from conventional practices to organic ones drastically affected the resulting crop yields, which impacted farmer morale and led to a drop in the number of COMSA members. This prompted the COMSA Board of Directors to partner with the Corporacion Educativa para el Desarrollo Costarricense, or CEDECO, to support this transition. Through their collaboration, they were able to use intensive organics to transform the land into integrated organic farms, preserving their local flora and fauna while also promoting the conservation of water and soil. 

As coffee yields improved, COMSA membership skyrocketed and its members were more willing to experiment with innovative organic processes. This has even given rise to COMSA’s 5 “Ms” of regenerative organic agriculture: organic Matter since 2001; compost Micro-organisms since 2006; Mineral use since 2010; fermented live Molecule production since 2012; and educational initiatives by enhancing grey Matter since 2013.

Cooperative Coffees partnered with COMSA in 2014. Two years later, the former participated in the Diplomado Organico that was launched by the latter. Diplomado Organico is an intensive week-long training program that is meant to teach these new farming techniques and broaden perspectives for small-scale coffee farmers. This includes examining the relationships “between their work, the ecosystem and the health of communities on both sides of the supply chain” (1). Cooperative Coffees continues to support both COMSA directly, via importing their high-quality honey and washed process green coffees, and this program specifically by extending sponsorships for their producer partners in Latin America to attend this course.

Tasting Notes And Flavors

The Honduras Marcala single origin is a honey processed light roast coffee (our roast level 3) that was grown at an altitude of 1200 to 1750 m. You can expect a pleasant berry-filled flavor profile complete with blackcurrant, brown sugar, and plum tasting notes finished off with a delicate hint of dark chocolate.

References: