We’ve had our eye on Bolivia for some time now, and we’re pleased to be able to release our first-ever Bolivian single origin! Working with our friends at Agricafé, we were able to sample some really unique lots and source this lovely honey-processed coffee we call Trapiche Santa Cruz.

Agricafé was founded by Pedro Los Rodriguez and has been at the forefront of specialty coffee production in Bolivia for the past decade. Bolivian coffee production has never been very big, especially compared to major producers in South America like Brazil, and it was always just enough to export commercial coffee each year and for producers to make a living growing coffee. In the last decade though, Bolivian coffee entered a crisis and around 2012 coffee cultivation was suffering from producers’ poor understanding of specific coffee cultivation techniques combined with a coffee leaf rust epidemic. The Los Rodriguez family knew something needed to be done, so in 2012 Agricafé acquired land in Caranavi in the Los Yungas region of Bolivia and planted coffee on their 12 farms in the regions of Caranavi and Samaipata. Samaipata, where this coffee was grown, is located in the Santa Cruz region typically known for its wine production. The Rodriguez family helped to develop coffee cultivation there, generating new options of economic development in the region, as well as job opportunities and unique coffee profiles from those grown in the Los Yungas region. Agricafé is dedicated to the long-term success of coffee agriculture in Bolivia and has implemented a number of programs to educate and uplift the community including the “Sol De La Mañana” social program to educate farmers on sustainable cultivation, harvesting, processing and reforestation techniques.

This coffee comes from Finca Trapiche, one of the Agricafé farms in the Samaipata region. A trapiche is a tool traditionally used in the area to manually extract sugar from sugar cane. A very old trapiche was found at the entrance of the farm, made from the estate’s precious wood by previous owners, and hence the farm got its name.

As a honey-processed lot, this coffee presents a very balanced acidity, notes of wildflower and rich brown sugar-like sweetness on the finish reminiscent of peach jam and panela. We hope you enjoy this unique offering and Agricafé’s hard work to bring us a little taste of Bolivian specialty coffee.