At 73 years old, Don Raúl Manueles has spent almost his entire life around coffee.

Originally from the Marcala region of Honduras, his coffee journey started when he was just 15 years old, when he began working at a coffee beneficio to help support his family. By the age of 20, he had married and started his own journey as a coffee producer.

In 1992, looking for new opportunities, Raúl moved to Dulce Nombre de Jesús, Chinacla, where he began working at Beneficio Santa Clara. Through his work there, he had the opportunity to acquire new plots of land and continue growing coffee, this time at higher elevations.

Today, Raúl manages six different coffee-growing areas with a total of 25 hectares. At the same time, he continues to manage Beneficio Santa Clara, where he has spent many years developing his knowledge and experience in coffee processing.

Santa Clara mill is owned by our good friends Marysabel and Moisés, the producers behind Finca El Puente. Raúl has worked with them for many years, managing the beneficio and processing coffee. Their relationship has also helped Raúl connect with roasters and explore new markets for his coffees, opening doors to opportunities beyond his region.

Raúl has also participated in Cup of Excellence competitions with his washed coffees, showing his long-standing commitment to quality and his interest in exploring different ways of working with coffee.