BETHANIA

Here's what Falcon Speciality the importers of this coffee have to say about it.

Cafetos de Segovia, established in 2015 by sisters Ana and Martha Albir Sotomayor, represents the third generation of a family deeply rooted in coffee farming in Nicaragua. Their mission was to process and export high-quality coffee from their farms and other local estates. Today, the cooperative boasts over 40 seasonal workers, including 19 women from the Mozonte region, and employs eight permanent staff members.

Annually, Cafetos de Segovia exports 6,000 quintals of coffee (approximately 272,500 kilograms). The main office is located at Km 231, Carretera Ocotal - Jalapa, 300 meters north of Ramamesa, Mozonte, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua. The cooperative includes Finca Agua Sarca, Finca El Naranjal, and Finca Santa Helena.

The cooperative provides its members with technical assistance, continuous quality improvement training, and financial support for farm enhancements and harvest estimates. They hold HACCP certification under the Nicaraguan Institute for Agricultural Protection and Health (IPSA), ensuring the highest standards of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Bethania farm was named for religious reasons. In Catholic tradition, Bethania (Bethany) was a place where Jesus would meditate and visit his friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. This farm symbolizes tranquility, friendship, and hospitality. Founded in 1994 by Martha Luc�a Albir Sotomayor, it is located 300 meters west of the El Suyatal health center in Macuelizo, Nueva Segovia. The farm spans 27 hectares with an average yield of 18 quintals of coffee per hectare. It sits at an altitude of 1350 meters and cultivates Catimor, Catuai rojo, Java, Maracaturra, Pacamara, Geisha, and Catuai Amarillo on sandy loam soils. The harvest season extends from November to March. Bethania employs one permanent worker and hires 70 additional workers during the harvest and processing periods.

The Bethania lot is cultivated at altitudes between 1300 and 1400 meters on a 1.06-hectare plot. The farm uses eco-friendly practices, providing shade with forest species, fruit trees, and bananas. Low-intensity pesticides (green labels), organic fertilizers, and synthetic fertilizers are utilized. Regular pruning and shade management improve plant health, and only ripe cherries are manually harvested.

After selection, the cherries are floated, packed, and sent to the dry mill. The coffee is transported in plastic bags and macen sacks, ensuring cleanliness throughout the journey. At the dry mill, the coffee is dried on African beds under covered structures, never touching the ground. PVC rakes are used for movement, maintaining cleanliness. Once dried, the coffee is stored separately in designated areas within the warehouse, always in new plastic bags and macen sacks. The coffee is then rested for about a month, hulled, classified, and packed in jute sacks and Ecotact bags for export, adhering to ICO standards.

Bethania farm supports various social and environmental initiatives, including educational projects for the community, providing school supplies to children in the local primary school. Farmers are paid based on the quality of their coffee, with a premium for well-processed parchment coffee. The primary challenge faced by Bethania is climate change, which has increased production costs. Future plans include improving the wet processing system and implementing pre-drying tunnels for coffee.

• Despatched next working day
• We use recyclable & CO2 neutral packaging
• Roasted fresh every working day
• Free next day shipping when you spend over £35
• Free two day shipping when you spend over £25