Crema Chats with Arturo Aguirre Sáenz of Finca El Injerto, Guatemala

21 Dec 2017

Our First Farm For Crema Trekkers is Finca El Injerto in Guatemala!

Crema Coffee Garage spoke with Arturo Aguirre to learn about their practices, their challenges & what to expect in 2018!

Finca El Injerto is an award-winning coffee producing farm in La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Owned and operated by the Aguirre family, it covers a total of 450 hectares of rainforest and 250 hectares of coffee plantation, spanning across a range of altitudes from 1700-1800m above sea level. This creates a diverse range of micro-climates across the farm suitable for growing a number of varietals, including a classic Bourbon, and exquisite Geisha, Pacamara and Maragogype.

To learn more about this unique farm and how they produce their stunning coffee profiles, Crema Coffee Garage corresponded with Arturo Aguirre Sáenz. Having exclusively purchased the Pacamara lot for the Australian market, we wanted to contact the producers on the farm directly and get firsthand information about the incredible work the Aguirre family does to produce one of the top five coffees in the world.

Crema Coffee Garage: Finca El Injerto has been owned by your family since 1874, how does it feel to be part of that incredibly long history and to have achieved the level of success that you have with the farm?

Arturo Aguirre Sáenz: It feels very nice, we are proud of what we achieved and we are very thankful with God and our team of what we have achieved.

Arturo Aguirre Senior During Harvest, Finca El Injerto

Aguirre Father and Son Team, Finca El Injerto Guatemala

Finca El Injerto in Guatemala is a family owned business.

CCG: Congratulations on being certified Carbon Neutral! Could you explain what is required to be certified Carbon Neutral and how you achieve carbon neutrality?

AAS: Thank you, it was a long process. They analyse every process of your activity but in summary, they need to know that the balance of carbon productions from your activities is balanced by other activities that you do. IN our case we generate our own energy (hydroelectric), we use our parchment as full for the ovens of the dryers, we compost the pulp and the majority of the farm is beautiful Rain Forest (450 ha. ). So all of these activities made the balance to be negative in carbon production.

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

AAS: Of course the climate changes are affecting us a lot: more fungus diseases, more intense rains and hail rains, etc. This is a very complex situation in any agricultural project. Then other issues are increasing costs in labour, materials and supplies (inflation in general) while the coffee prices are the same for many years.

Another important issue that we have been dealing with now is a dishonest competition for REAL Estate Coffees. Now lots of farms buy cherries from small producers of the area, pay them the lowest price in the market, process the coffee and then sell the coffee as an Estate Coffee. There is no Tax in this transactions, the small producer continues to receive the lowest price, no one knows what supplies were used or if the environment was considered. So these people can sell this coffee much cheaper. We have lost some customers because they told us that our neighbours are giving them not the same quality, but very cheap coffee as an Estate Coffee, but they don’t really know what is going on.

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

AAS: As you read my explanation above, I think that now all these trade methods have been abused and doesn't mean very much now. It’s very sad to see how people are using this only for business.

CCG: Is Finca El Injerto or the Aguirre family involved with any other charities or foundations? Are there options for coffee lovers abroad to support these causes too?

AAS: We participate with many institutions and organisations of the area, we are biggest job supplier from that area so we help a lot from schools, cooperatives, and medical services, also we cooperate with other associations that are not from the area of the farm. Many foundations for elders and orphans.

CCG: What foundations or organizations are you involved with to sustain your environmental efforts?

AAS: We are members of Reservers Naturales Privadas: an organization that helps with the conservation of this area of forest. Also, we are Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Planting Seeds for the next Crop on Finca El Injerto

Pacamara Seedlings Finca El Injerto Guatemala

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

AAS: Inform themselves of how difficult really it is to produce quality coffee beans: taking care of the environment, assuming responsibilities (paying full taxes, social service, etc.) and improving the quality of lives of the collaborators. So then they will appreciate coffee much more and will be willing to pay better prices.

CCG: What achievement as a producer are you most proud of?

AAS: Maybe that we are in our way to be a very sustainable operation, also the team that we have built, and that we are the only farm in the world to win Cup of Excellence 1st Place 7 times! That we are the 1st farm in Guatemala and one of the 1st in the world to be Carbon Neutral, and that we have the whole operation from the seed to the cup.

CCG: Does the Aguirre family have a favourite varietal?

AAS: We all have different favourites, but we all agree that the Bourbon is the classic delicious everyday coffee. You can drink this coffee all day and not get bored.

CCG: We are purchasing the Pacamara for our very first single origin coffee for 2018 – is there any brew method you would recommend for this varietal?

AAS: I really enjoy it on v60 and Chemex, of course, depends on the barista.

CCG: What are the Aguirre family’s goals for El Injerto in 2018?

AAS: Renew areas of the farm where the plantation is getting old with young productive plants. Maybe open a couple of more cafes.