MEXICO - CAFEOLOGO L19
« A pleasant cup with notes of orange, peach, lemon, caramel, spices and a slight floral note. »
- Producer: Jesus Salazar
- Altitude: 1750 m
- Environment: Chiapas primary forest
- Species: arabica
- Varietal: Red Bourbon, Red catuai
- Harvest: Manual/November to january
- Process: Fully washed
- Drying: Patios
ABOUT
Belco's partner Jesus Salazar, Cafeologo, developed in 2010 in Chiapas a coffee growing project involving the Mayan communities. He works directly with 140 micro-producers who cultivate high quality coffee produced under the shade of the Mexican primary forest. Far from intensive production, each farmer produces about 20 bags per year. Jesus, Q-processor, accompanies them on the technical side of the process to create high-quality nano-batches, the best that we have tasted in Mexico for a long time!
The Benefecio Comunitario Sibactel is located in the Tenejapa region. The Mayan inhabitants who live there belong to the Tseltal community which is extremely shy. Today, there are 70 farmers partners of Cafeologo. Since the 2020 harvest, coffee has been bought in cherries at the same price of parchment for 2 reasons:
1> Strongly encourage selective harvesting
2> Better remunerate farmers
Jesus is, as he puts it, the zero generation of his family in coffee. Originally from Tuxtla, capital of the Chiapas region, he lives with his family in San Cristobal de las Casas. He initiated his project "Cafeologia" in 2010. Firstly roaster, his project "Cafeologia" today brings together a coffee shop, a hotel, a quality laboratory, a cupping room, a roastery, a warehouse and a beneficio. Jesus' goal was to develop a project around coffee growing involving Mayan communities. In 2010, he began working with 4 farmers and today he is in direct contact with 140 "micro-producers" because for him it is essential that this project remains on a human scale "Caja a caja". The farmers speak Tsotsil and Tseltal (the Maya languages) and they produce very high quality nano-lots, each about 20 bags per year on 2 hectares. Far from intensive agriculture, coffee trees grow in their gardens under the shade of endemic trees like Xalum. With so little yield, coffee is not viable for these families. Jesus' approach then becomes societal, he asks each farmer how much he needs to live a year. He has to create value added coffee to pay this price. For this, the only lever is quality. Jesus is Q-processor (equivalent of the Q-Grader for processes). He brings his expertise to every farmer and sometimes the drying and the end of the process is done on the roof of the Cafeologia where are arranged african beds. The coffees are not certified but are produced on the model of organic farming. Just 1 hour drive around San Cristobal, the diversity of aromatic profiles is incredible. His vision of coffee is philosophical and humanistic. He wants above all to promote the quality of Chiapas coffees and "change the image of Mexican coffee". He surrounds himself with partners sharing his state of mind, his philosophy, his values to defend a different coffee growing in Mexico, returning to a high quality that is creating value for the indigenous production communities.