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This is our very first time working with Merlin Medina Galeas through Honduran Coffee Alliance. She began her coffee education as a young girl. Although her family did not own a finca, her mother took her to farms where she worked harvesting cherry. Later, Merlin married Hubert and together they began planting coffee at their own Finca. Merlin even took over a part of the farm herself to grow and manage her own harvest. She went on the train as a “Five Star” cupper in 2018 and placed 34th in the Cup of Excellence that same year. She is a member of the CAFESA cooperative in Marcala and she and her husband now own four small fincas totaling 10.5 hectares. Together they also manage a cupping lab, offering services to other farmers in her area. Merlin and Hubert are now the primary quality control cuppers for Honduran Coffee Alliance and are both key collaborators and close friends of the entire import team. Merlin has involved her entire famliy in the business, showing her two children the ropes when they are not in school.
On the farm, Merlin has continued to make improvements and between 2024 and this year she has renovated the farm to add more shade and processing space. She also leads an all-women team to select export quality coffees for Honduran Coffee Alliance! This lot is completely IHCAFE 90 varietal, grown on her farm Los Chocollos in Santa Maria, La Paz at roughly 1500 MASL. This coffee is fully traceable and price transparent and we hope to work more closely with Merlin in the years to come!
We roast this one to a light/light medium (21% in our IR-12) and taste plenty of malic acidity like pears and pink lady apple, as well as creamy walnut, brown sugar, nougat, and some florals. A truly lovely cup.
Transparency data
Our price FOT - $6.75/lb
Total to producer: $5.02/lb
Coop margin: .15/lb
Export costs via Boncafe: .$0.49/lb
Import costs and export margin to HCA: $0.76/lb
