Story
Chiapas region
Bordering Guatemala, Chiapas region lies at the south border of Mexico and is well known for producing over 40% of the whole coffee production. The region's high rainfall, volcanic soil and altitudes ranging from 1300 to 1700 masl provide perfect conditions for growing coffee.
The unique location and terroir distinguish its coffee from that of the Veracruz region. Chiapas region is home to many indigenous communities. However, it’s also the poorest state in Mexico.
La Piedra & Luis Ordóñez Peréz
Luis Ordonez is a farmer from Amatenango de la Frontera, Chiapas, a stone throw away from Huehuetenango, Guatemala. His 26 hectare farm, at which he has been working for over 25 years, is quite large by Mexican standards. He cultivates more than a dozen different varieties and is highly focused on quality.
His youngest son, Meynor, helps him in all aspects of farm management. Luis said that in the past his goal in owning a farm was to simply own 40 hectares of coffee producing land. However, at present he only has half the labour he needs to manage his current acreage. As such, his goals have changed and now he wants to open a centralised wet mill in Amatenango and buy cherry from other farmers on both sides of the Mexican/Guatemalan border.
As someone who is familiar with the exploitation of farmers by large domestic buyers, he wants to now give back to his neighbours, help stabilise their income and give them a meaningful path forward. We hope this dream comes to pass and that we can be a small part of its story.