guatemalan excellence
Café Cascajal
Sustainable, certified excellence cultivated in the biodiverse highlands of Esquipulas, Guatemala.
Premium SHB Coffee from the Highlands of Esquipulas
Caribí Trading Company is proud to partner with Café Cascajal, a pioneer of high-altitude coffee in the Nuevo Oriente region of Guatemala. Whether you are an importer looking for reliable volume or a specialty roaster seeking exceptional single-origin lots, Café Cascajal offers a rare combination of state-of-the-art processing, international certifications, and a deeply authentic sustainability story.
Origin & Specifications at a Glance
Location
Esquipulas, Chiquimula (Nuevo Oriente, Guatemala)
Altitude
1,200 – 1,600 Meters Above Sea Level (Strictly Hard Bean)
Climate
Subtropical humid forest, averaging 22°C with 1,800mm of annual rainfall
Qualities
Strictly Hard Bean, Hard Bean, Naturals
Preparations
European, American
Certifications
Rainforest Alliance (RFA) and Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices
Exceptional Varietals & Consistent Profiles
Café Cascajal’s meticulous harvesting and sorting result in highly consistent specialty lots, regularly cupping between 82.00 and 88.00 points. Their diverse portfolio is tailored to meet the varying demands of the US market:
Geisha
Exotic and highly sweet, featuring citric notes trending toward orange peel with a vanilla aftertaste.
Bourbon
Medium creamy body, moderate aroma, and distinct chocolate flavor notes.
Catuai Rojo & Amarillo
A balanced, silky cup with a sweet aroma and rich caramel notes.
Maragogipe
A smooth, balanced profile with a light, silky body and sweet caramel aromas.
Ana Café 14
Intense aroma with medium acidity and a creamy, chocolatey finish.
Unmatched Sustainability & Traceability
Today’s consumer demands ethical sourcing, and Café Cascajal delivers a powerful narrative. Founded in 1992 on deforested land, the farm has been transformed into a lush sanctuary. It features a 225-hectare conservation area that protects 176 bird species and 112 orchid species. Cascajal plants 20,000 trees annually and operates Guatemala’s only coffee wastewater treatment plant that generates biogas to fuel their drying ovens—a massive leap in clean agricultural technology.
Furthermore, the farm directly employs up to 1,200 people during the harvest and provides an on-site, fully accredited school and health clinic for workers and neighboring communities.
To truly understand the dedication poured into every container of Café Cascajal, we sat down with the founder himself. Watch our exclusive conversation with Amado Palencia below to hear how resilience, community, and a commitment to the environment shaped one of Guatemala’s most remarkable coffee farms.