The last 20 years have seen amazing developments in coffee production in Tarrazu. Each generation has brought progress building on the experience of the previous generation. Firstly, many growers built their own mill, resulting in quality control from the cherry to the green bean and allowing for the development of individual processing methods.
The most recent development is that an increasing number of beneficios have installed roasting facilities and are producing very high quality roasted beans. This foto above I took at Café Dögas. The foto below I took at beneficios La Cumbre and Juanachute.
This may seem surprising since the local market for relatively high priced specialty coffee is small. Things are changing though and easier, faster delivery logistics are growing. DHL is actively developing this market in Costa Rica.
Previous to this development, roasters in the specialty coffee industry held a strong position of influence over both supply chains and market trends. Now producers are closing the gaps in the supply chain and are in a strong position to dictate the price of high-quality microlots they produce. This will be a game changer in the market.