NEW! from Nahualá Co-op
What's new at Chapín?
Our mission at Chapín is always to bring you the absolute best coffees from around the world. We recently purchased a micro lot of incredibly special Fair Trade and Organic beans from a small cooperative in the Atitlán region of Guatemala. Located in the heart of central Guatemala, this mountainous area is know for both its incredible natural beauty and the unique and delicious coffee grown there. The beans are truly special, reflecting the unique weather, soil, and growing conditions of the area surrounding Lake Atitlán. But as we learned more about the Nahualá Coffee Agricultural Cooperative (known as the Nahualá Co-op), we quickly realized how amazing the opportunity is to work with this organization.
Where is the Co-op?
Nahualá Co-op is headquartered in Pasac, a village tucked snugly into the Ixtacapa river basin. Formed in 1965, the coffee growers’ co-op is an organization of 130 indigenous families dedicated to preserving traditional farming culture while also achieving economic independence.
How is Nahualá Co-op doing more?
Working together, the families of Nahualá Co-op have greatly improved their standard of living by using Fair Trade premiums from coffee sales to provide scholarships and other educational opportunities for their children, diversifying their income by raising honey bees and growing bananas, as well as participating in environmental projects to clean up the Ixtacapa River and reforest the surrounding hillsides.
The number of children from Nahualá Co-op achieving higher education increases every year. Many of these young community leaders are returning home and continuing the economic diversification and development of their towns, preserving the natural beauty of the region and the way of life of the native people in the area. Innovations such as raising bees help the farmers grow healthier coffee trees while creating an additional source of income.
What about the coffee?
We are proud to source this amazing coffee from Nahualá Co-op because we believe in their mission, and we believe in the coffee they produce.
Using traditional methods, the farmers of Nahualá Co-op harvest the finest coffee in the world. Rather than growing hybrid trees that produce mediocre, less-flavorful beans, Nahualá Co-op farmers continue to raise Bourbon Arabica trees at an altitude that defines them as strictly hard-bean (the highest quality rating). Reforesting projects led by Nahualá Co-op have made it possible to raise these trees beneath a lush natural canopy. As a result, the coffee cherries mature slowly, developing full depth of flavor. Selective picking by hand ensures that only ripe cherries are processed.
Grown in high-altitude, small plot farms, this coffee speaks for itself. With many coffees, there is just one "sweet spot" roast profile (i.e. light, medium, dark) where the unique flavors of the bean are optimized. These beans from Nahualá are so special, we were able to roast them with two different roast profiles - a Light and a Medium - both of which elicit different nuances and delicious flavors. Take a bag (or two!) home today and taste the beauty and love from which this coffee sprung forth. Try the Alma Maya for a rich and balanced medium roast, or take a walk on the lighter side with the Lago Azul!
