Espresso - La Pastora, Costa Rica

La Pastora is one of Coope Tarrazú’s classic blends. The hub of the growing region for the La Pastora blend is the mountainous Tarrazú canton in the San José province. 

Farmers who contribute to this regional blend cultivate farms between 1,500 and 1,800 meters above sea level. This high altitude qualifies the blend as Strictly Hard Bean (SHB). The higher altitude and lower temperatures mean that the coffee fruit matures more slowly, creating a denser bean. 

In 2006, the cooperative established the Coffee Culture Quality of Life Sustainability Plan. Through this plan, the cooperative aims to track their environmental impact, implement better practices and create a culture of environmental awareness. As part of their strategy to increase productivity, Coope Tarrazú offers various training programs for its members and engineering visits to farms. 

Through the Quality of Life Sustainability Plan, CoopeTarrazú provides free soil analyses to members. These customized soil analyses show farmers the impact of the surrounding ecosystems on their soil. In turn, coffee growers learn to adjust their practices according to their specific soil needs. 

CoopeTarrazú has also invested in organic fertilizer to supply to the cooperative’s producers. Erosion has greatly affected productivity and their organic fertilizer helps restore soil health.  Additionally, CoopeTarrazú is collaborating with various partners to trial new varieties that can offer higher productivity, disease resistance, and in particular, quality cup scores.