Nicaragua Org SHG EP UCA SJRC - Ecotact

San Juan del Río Coco, located in Nicaragua’s Madriz department, is celebrated for its rugged mountains, fertile volcanic soils, and reliable rainfall—conditions that make it ideal for cultivating high-quality Arabica. Farms here sit at elevations around 1,300 meters, where cooler temperatures slow cherry development and promote dense beans with complex sweetness. The Río Coco River sustains both agriculture and local ecosystems, enriching the soil and shaping the coffee’s clean, balanced character.

This lot comes from the Unión de Cooperativas Agropecuarias San Juan del Río Coco (UCA SJRC), a union of eight cooperatives founded in 1993. The organization represents over 370 smallholder farmers, including more than 100 women, across five communities. Members typically manage small plots averaging 2–3 hectares and rely on family labor for cultivation and harvest. Roughly half operate their own micro-mills, while others share facilities—fostering collaboration and local enterprise. UCA SJRC is dedicated to improving coffee quality, securing fair pricing, and promoting sustainable organic farming through technical training, community programs, and environmental conservation initiatives.

This coffee is graded SHG EP (Strictly High Grown, European Preparation), meaning it’s cultivated above 1,300 meters and carefully sorted for uniformity and cleanliness in the cup. As an organic-certified lot, it is grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, relying instead on composting, shade-grown systems, and natural pest control to protect soil health and biodiversity. The combination of altitude, careful sorting, and traditional washed processing produces a layered cup with notes of brown spice, lemon, almond skin, and vanilla—a refined and expressive representation of Nicaragua’s northern highlands.