About the Producer
Santa Cruz Ozolotepec is a small coffee-growing community of less than 1,000 people in the Southern state of Oaxaca. We first visited Oaxaca in 2016 and have been buying small amounts of coffee from the area ever since. The scenery in this area is dramatic, with dusty, dry roads and gorgeous mountains stretching across desolate valleys. This is our third year purchasing coffee from Ozolotepec and the UNECAFE Cooperative. The Cooperative was founded in 2009 with the mission of mobilizing smallholder farmers throughout Oaxaca. Cooperative members are given access to resources to increase productivity such as coffee seedlings and pulping machines. The co-op also gives access to housing, ecological latrines, medical care, and other means of income diversification. Coffee grown in this area is largely shade grown, which promotes biodiversity of native flora and fauna as well as an abundance of local wildlife.
About the Coffee
Coffee in the region is grown at impressive altitudes between 1,400 and 2,000 meters. Processing takes place on individual farms ranging in size from one to five hectares. After farm-level pulping, coffee is fermented without water for 15 hours and laid out to dry mostly in the town of Ozolotepec until it reaches 11% moisture content. Once dried, coffee is transported to the town of Oaxaca City where the parchment is held in sealed bags for added moisture protection and stability.
Why We Love It
The coffees from this area are down right deliciously smooth and fragrant. Look for a generous, soft mouthfeel, with a milk chocolate body, intense sweetness and a smooth and refined aftertaste.