La Cidra

ABOUT

Over the years, Renato Sánchez of La Cidra has grown his farm from a single hectare into a thriving operation, supported by his wife, María, and their children. While some of the children are studying abroad with plans to return to the family business, for the moment, it is their son, Rafael, who works in a 50/50 partnership with Renato.

During the harvest season, the biggest challenge is securing enough labour, particularly for processing and patio work. They require up to 13 workers per day for this type of work, and with picking being significantly more lucrative, it's hard to fill these positions. These constraints have led Renato to plan new, raised drying beds to address quality issues caused by the deteriorating patio, as well as to improve shelf stability and quality of his coffee.

Renato and his son Rafael have also been working to improve the farm's soil health and biodiversity by using a specific fertiliser blend. Combined with a more tailored pruning program, this has led to a noticeable improvement in both soil health and yield. This year’s lot is as delicious as ever, and after seeing the trees full of buds for the next harvest during our visit, we can't wait to see what next year brings!