Relationship Coffee

Gerardo Barrios has seven generations of coffee growing in his blood. He tells stories of wars,
midnight shootings, sabotage and lost fortunes but none of that has diminished his love for the bean.

Gerardo grows coffee in Marcala, Honduras. Marcala is situated near the border of El Salvador in
Central America. The coffee is grown at an altitude of 1,200 meters and is the rare Arabica Pacamara
and Typica varieties. Each of his Pacamara plants only produces about 400 grams of coffee per year
and that is why the coffee is so intense. The high growing altitude and the shade canopy provided
by native trees means that the coffee grows slowly and produces a richer flavour.

Gerardo grows his coffee with future generations
in mind, so he takes great care to minimize its impact
on the natural environment. No chemical fertilizers
or pesticides are used on the plantation and natural
by-products from coffee production are used as
fertilizer. Insects are controlled with a spray made from
mashed up native fruit mixed with a soap solution.
Gerardo’s secret weapon against destructive ants is a
mixture of onions & water that is scattered around the
coffee plants. Plantation workers are paid above
minimum wages, helped with medical expenses and
their children are provided with free books to help
their education.

And how does Gerardo’s coffee taste?

The coffee has a distinct chocolate quality;
it is rich and full bodied, with very enticing
caramel & fudge characters. Make yourself
a cup and share Gerardo’s passion with us!