Guatemala Cafe Delas - Sandra Merida Lote Especial

Café Delas coffee comes from farming operations owned by women. According to the United Nations, if women farmers had the same access to resources as men, the gains in productivity would reduce the number of people experiencing hunger in the world by 150 million. Women reinvest more of their direct earnings into the well-being of their households, communities, and businesses. And yet, with few exceptions, key aspects of coffee as an agricultural endeavor around the world are owned and controlled by men. This must change and Café Delas takes up the challenge of that change.

In the steep landscapes of Tajumuco, Huehuetenango, Sandra Verónica Mérida Ramírez works her coffee parcels with passion, energy, and dedication. She has been cultivating coffee for the past 10 years, managing her two farms—Los Pinos and Los Chalunes—with the support of her father-in-law and seasonal workers from the community. Her finca Los Chalunes is named after the native trees that shade her coffee. When Sandra first began, her land had only a few scattered plants and very little shade. With time, care, and persistence, she has expanded her coffee plots, planted more trees, and transformed the farm into a productive and well-managed parcel.For Sandra, coffee is about family as much as livelihood. The harvest brings everyone together—her children, relatives, and neighbors join her in picking and depulping cherries. What might otherwise be just farm work becomes a moment of joy and connection. “Coffee helps me step away from the daily household routine. During harvest, when we’re all working together, I feel happiest.”