Don Carlos, Coco

Bolivia: Don Carlos, Catuai, Coco Natural Tinned peaches and bright lime burst out of the cup when hot, before plum takes over as it cools – bringing with it a hint of that funky coco natural processing. The finish lingers long and sweet, like a spoonful of buttercream straight from the bowl. This Coco Natural Catuai lot was grown at Finca Don Carlos, nestled in the Bolinda colony of Caranavi, Bolivia. The farm is part of Agricafe’s Buena Vista program, their ambitious project to revive Bolivia’s declining coffee trade. Pedro Rodríguez, along with his daughter Daniela and son Pedro Pablo (who runs Don Carlos) are the driving force behind Agricafe and Fincas Los Rodríguez. Theirs is a story of innovation and a deep commitment to revitalising the Bolivian specialty coffee industry that was, not so long ago, on the verge of disappearing entirely. A Farm Worthy Of Don Carlos The Caranavi province sits towards the western edge of Bolivia, on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountain range. Caranavi means "high place" in the Aymara language, one of the indigenous languages spoken in Bolivia. Caranavi province sits in a transitional zone between the high Andes and the Amazon basin, it’s known for its lush vegetation and has been dubbed the "Coffee Capital of Bolivia" for its ideal growing conditions and over 13,000 hectares of plantations. Finca Don Carlos is spread over 18.7 hectares situated at 1,550-1,650 metres above sea level. This Bolivian coffee farm benefits from a microclimate of cool mountain air and rich volcanic soil, perfect conditions that contribute to its vibrant acidity and clean, structured cup profile. In addition to coffee, the farm is committed to environmental stewardship, with active reforestation efforts planting native species such as Tajibos, Mara, and Ceibo to preserve biodiversity and support long-term soil health. Finca Don Carlos is named in honour of Carlos Mariaca, the oldest and most unconditionally awesome employee of Agricafe. He was there at the start of the specialty coffee trend and, together with Pedro Rodriguez (the founder of Agricafe) helped to build the wet mill in Caranavi. As a tribute to his legacy within Bolivian specialty coffee and to show their gratitude for all his good work, the company decided to give him partnership of the farm. His name has since been synonymous with delicious Bolivian coffee. The Buena Vista Project The Rodriguez family have been sourcing coffee from small coffee producers in the Caranavi and Samaipata regions for three decades, but the steady decline of coffee production put the sustainability of their export business in jeopardy. Daniela and Pedro bought land in the Caranavi region to showcase modern practices and educate other producers in sustainable farming, as well as increasing the overall volume at their mills. They have twelve farms in total, and Finca Don Caros is one of eight in the Caranavi region, the project's second farm overall. Pedro Pablo studied agronomy in Honduras and brought techniques he had learnt there to the Buena Vista farms. Rather than following traditional Bolivian Coffee farming practices common in the region, they took an extremely methodical, innovative and scientific approach. They consulted leading specialty coffee agronomists from around the world, trialled different varieties and techniques, and carefully documented everything they learned. The results were extraordinary. Their farms became some of the most organised and beautiful in the country - coffee planted in neat rows, meticulously separated by variety, vibrant and healthy and producing exceptional quality and yields. The family also made a commitment to conservation from the outset, aiming to keep 60% of their land as nature reserves with coffee planted as agroforest amongst the trees. What Is Coco Natural Processing? The meticulous processing carried out at the Buena Vista mill manages the fermentation, depulping and drying processes to ensure exceptional quality - aided by their onsite laboratory where the coffee is analysed daily and its progress tracked. Through their exacting systems and