Country
Costa Rica
Location
San Jose Province, Brunca region, Chirripo
Altitude (masl)
1700 m.a.s.l.
Varieties
catuai, caturra, villalobos, geisha, SL28, hybrids & experimental cultivars
There are three main things that we love about the Ureña’sfarm and business model.
It’s how well organized it is, with each family member working on specific tasks they specialize in. During our stay at the farm we observed the full circle of their independence. Through the years of sustainable grow they’ve managed to take control of every step of the coffee production, literally from picking the cherry, through processing and dry milling, to loading and sealing the container which they export independently.
It’s the high sustainability factor. The biodiversity on the farm is amazing, with many indigenous plants and trees all over the plantations. (And all those incredible views, oh man…) The system of proper shade management, fertilization based on annual soil analysis, a truly minimal usage of water during the processes and a full traceability of the final products – this all made me greatly impressed and sure we’re dealing with 100% pros here!
Located at around 1700 masl, La Guaca plantation refers to the place where centuries ago native inhabitants used to
bury their deceased relatives together with their belongings, typically cooking stuff but also gold.
When years later the people came to work at this land they noticed several flat surfaces indicating a “Guaca” might
be there. Nobody found any gold, but the holes they dug remained as an indication that someone thought they came
across a gold mine!
Many years later the gold that the Ureña family has found at this piece of land occurred to be a great potential for coffee quality, and because of that Isabel decided to call the plantation La Guaca.
88 Graines idea is grounded on establishing a collaborative coffee sourcing model between coffee producers and roasters.
Realization: 
