Costa Rica Tica Linda Honey Women Producers SHB 2023

Tica Linda Women in Coffee

While women make up 70% of the workforce in the coffee industry, women farmers have historically had less access to resources and support than their male counterparts. That’s why women-produced lots like Tica Linda are essential. Strictly women-produced lots provide opportunities and make the specialty coffee market accessible to women.

Tarrazú is the most famous – and highest-producing – coffee region in Costa Rica. The canton was awarded Denomination of Origin status in 2019, and its distinctive cup profile, with fine acidity and full body, is why green coffee from Tarrazú is differentiated from the broader Los Santos area. Here, the focus is on quality over quantity, and the coffee in this lot grew at an altitude of 1,600. The red clay soil, humid climate, and tropical temperatures with an average of 24ºC help nurture some of the best coffee in Costa Rica.

Beneficio San Diego Coffee Mill

Beneficio San Diego is the most modern mill in Costa Rica. It was established in 1888 and has been innovating ever since. Today, Beneficio San Diego specializes in coffees from Tarrazú and Tres Ríos regions. The mill takes pride in striving for ever-increasing efficiency and quality standards. At the same time, it has taken a leading role in working with producers to ensure good community relations and sustainable production.

Honey Processing in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a pioneer of the honey process, a technique that hits the sweet spot between natural and washed processes to achieve the best of both worlds. Cherries are immediately de-pulped after harvesting, but instead of soaking the seeds in water, they’re left out to dry, mucilage and all, to ferment with partial contact with the remaining fruit.

The honey process coffee limits the amount of water needed to wash the beans and speeds up the drying time by removing some of the fruit. This process avoids the risk of over-fermented flavors but adds sweetness and body from the prolonged contact with the partial fruit matter. That’s how honey process coffee gets the sweetness of naturals while balancing the brightness of washed coffee at the same time.

Costa Rican Green Coffee Quality

A Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) green coffee must be grown at an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level or higher. When coffee grows at high altitudes, the coffee cherries mature more slowly. This allows the fruit to take in more nutrients, resulting in denser, sweeter coffee beans that are considered higher quality.

Costa Rica Green Coffee Beans

Costa Rica coffees sell at a premium. The country has a reputation for delivering high quality and innovation – a winning combination. Costa Rica’s quality socio-economic infrastructure programs, such as universal healthcare, high education levels, sophisticated agronomy and research, and well-regulated agricultural sustainability programs, certainly contribute to the high cost of coffee. Additionally, when coffee roasters buy Costa Rican green coffee, producers receive nearly 80% of the FOB value, guaranteed. Read more in our Costa Rica Green Coffee Origin Report.