Our Second Farm For Crema Trekkers is Finca Loma La Gloria in El Salvador!

Crema Coffee Garage spoke with Anny Ruth Pimentel to learn about their practices, their challenges & what to expect in 2018!

Finca Loma La Gloria is a relatively new player within the coffee industry, with the farm established in the late nineties by Roberto Pimentel. Roberto worked as a civil engineer and in business previous to founding, and named the farm after his Grandfather’s estate, Loma La Gloria (Hill of the Glory). His daughter, Anny Ruth, left her job as a marketer to join her father and made some big changes that have seen the business grow exponentially over the past 4 years. She reopened the abandoned mill to take more control of the processing of their beans for higher quality and traceability and began engaging direct trade to sell directly into the Specialty Coffee Market. Now Loma La Gloria is a beloved brew in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Loma La Gloria grows coffee on the slopes of the San Salvador Volcano’s crater called El Boquerón at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,750 m above sea level. The farm uses a wide variety of shade-trees to maintain a cool micro-climate to produce the sweetly distinct cup profile of their Bourbon and Pacamara. To learn more about this unique farm and how they produce their stunning coffee profiles, Crema Coffee Garage corresponded with Anny Ruth Pimentel:

 

Crema Coffee Garage: What inspired you to leave marketing to work on Loma La Gloria with your Dad?

Anny Ruth Pimentel: Well... It’s not like I left marketing... I still continue doing marketing, but of our own brand and myself. 

I left my previous job because I have an entrepreneur spirit so I needed to do something different. When I left that job position I had already gotten training as barista, cupper, milling... So I was so interested and passionate about coffee that I was pretty sure I needed to do something with coffee. 

 

CCG: What is one big issue you are dealing with as a coffee producer?

ARP: We coffee producers, in general, are continuously challenged with the traits of agriculture. There are so many variables that we can't have control of and yet we manage to make up the most of every single crop. 

We have to deal with weather conditions, yields decreasing, production drop, global warming, pests, difficult access to financing from banks, risks of the trade (shipping coffee hoping we will get paid by the importer/roaster). I can also mention the fact that the majority of growers get paid prices that not even cover the production cost (C Market prices). As you can see it’s not easy nor glamorous work to grow coffee. The growers (no matter the product) usually are the ones running the higher risks and don't have the choice of getting a fair price for their produce.

 

CCG: Is Loma La Gloria involved with any foundations or organizations that assist with increasing the farms environmental and sustainability efforts?

ARP: We don't work with any organization, but that doesn't mean that we don't care about the environment. If we don't do the required work to maintain sustainability we wouldn't be able to grow coffee in a couple of years from now. If we don't take care of the ecosystem we would be killing our chances to continue growing coffee.

 

CCG: Is Loma La Gloria involved with, or a sponsor of, any other charities or foundations? Are there options for coffee lovers abroad to support these causes too?

ARP: We don't work with any foundations or charities. We believe our first responsibility is with our workers. We pay fair wages according to law. With the help of some roasters we have given water filters, eco-stoves to our workers and to a school in our Community. This upcoming harvest another Roaster will be donating sewing machines to the school for a sewing program. 

       

 

CCG: As a producer, what is your opinion on direct trade and fair trade as methods for securing coffee prices and ensuring fair payment?

ARP: I don't have any experience with fair trade, given that I have never worked with that certification. So I couldn't tell you more about it. 

Regarding direct trade... Most of the sales I do are Direct Trade, though I prefer calling it Relationship Coffee. Because I have gotten to grow a relationship with the Roasters working as team, supplying the coffee according to their needs and wants. This is what I call Sustainability, because as growers we need that the Roasters continue buying our coffee year by year and not be a one-time sell.

 

CCG: What can coffee lovers abroad do to support producers like yourself better?

ARP: The best way to support us is to continue loving our beans! Buying the beans from you year after year. Talking about it so other coffee lovers will start drinking them. Posting about it in social media, spreading the word. 

 

CCG: Do you have a favourite varietal? If so, why?

ARP: I would have to say the Bourbon. Not only because is the traditional varietal grown in my Country but also because of its delicate cup profile. Balanced and smooth. 

      

 

CCG: We are purchasing your Bourbon for our second single origin coffee in 2018 – is there any brew method you would recommend for this varietal?

ARP: I'm a Chemex fan! BUT... In your case, I recommend to experiment and play with the different brewing methods to determine which one you feel is more favourable for the roast profile you are doing. 

 

CCG: What achievements of Loma La Gloria are you most proud of?

ARP: I feel proud of all the work we have done in the last 4 crops. With my team we have managed to improve the quality of the coffee year after year. Seeing so many LLG Lovers all over the world. Being recognized by Coffee Review and be mentioned in one of their articles in the Roast Magazine last September. Some of the Roasters that work with LLG got awards at the Golden Bean Awards, Coffee Fest, Cold Brew Festivals, etc. To see how our Roaster friends are growing their businesses year after year and soliciting more coffee from us and include us in the key of their success. Last but not least... To be one of the not so many women working in this industry and see all the many results achieved in such a short period of time. 

 

CCG: What are your goals for Loma La Gloria in 2018?

ARP: Every single year our goal is to deliver our best possible to our clients. To raise the bar compared to the previous year. To continue mastering the art of processing our beans to be the best possible. To continue seeing our beans around the world. 

 

If you would like to learn more or keep up to date with Loma La Gloria, check them out on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LomaLaGloria/

Twitter: #fincalomalagloria

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1028933531/loma-la-gloria-ahuachapan-el-salvador/

Website: http://www.lomalagloria.com/