Costa Rica, La Pastora – Medium Roast

Description

CoopeTarrazú R.L.

CoopeTarrazú R.L. is a coffee producers’ cooperative headquartered in San Marcos de Tarrazú, in Costa Rica’s Los Santos region. It was formally established on October 13, 1960, by 228 coffee growers seeking to centralize coffee processing and commercialization in response to limited access to mills and export markets at the time.

The cooperative operates within the Tarrazú Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) zone, where coffee is cultivated at elevations typically ranging from 1200 to 1900 meters above sea level. Member farms primarily produce 100% Arabica coffee, commonly varieties such as Caturra and Catuai, which are well adapted to the region’s climate and elevation.

CoopeTarrazú owns and manages wet and dry milling infrastructure, quality control laboratories, and export operations, allowing centralized processing and standardized quality evaluation. In addition to coffee milling and export, the cooperative provides agronomic assistance, technical training, and access to inputs for its members. As of recent decades, it represents several thousand smallholder producers, most operating farms of limited size within the Tarrazú highlands.

Coffee Production in Costa Rica: A General Overview

Coffee production in Costa Rica is based exclusively on Arabica coffee, as national regulations prohibit the commercial cultivation of Robusta. Production takes place across eight officially recognized coffee-growing regions, where coffee is typically grown at elevations ranging from approximately 1000 to 2000 meters above sea level. Soils in Costa Rican coffee regions are commonly derived from volcanic or sedimentary parent material. These soils are typically well drained, moderately acidic, and rich in essential minerals.

Coffee farming in Costa Rica is dominated by smallholder producers, many of whom manage farms of limited size and rely on cooperative or shared milling infrastructure. Harvesting is primarily conducted by hand, allowing for selective picking of ripe cherries and greater control over fruit quality prior to processing. Post-harvest processing in Costa Rica has historically been centered on washed processing, which involves depulping, fermentation to remove mucilage, washing, and controlled drying to stable moisture levels. In recent decades, producers have also adopted honey and natural processing methods, which retain varying amounts of fruit material and alter fermentation dynamics, resulting in different chemical and sensory outcomes.

Certain regions, such as Tarrazú, are protected under geographical designation systems, which define production boundaries and enforce origin-specific standards. Institutional oversight and research support have historically been provided by national coffee organizations, contributing to standardized quality control and agronomic development.

Scientific and technical efforts within Costa Rica’s coffee sector increasingly focus on disease management, climate resilience, water efficiency in processing, and soil conservation. These research-driven approaches aim to sustain production viability while maintaining measurable quality parameters under changing environmental conditions.