Finca Machaca Espresso

In the Yungas of La Paz, where the Andes give way to densely forested valleys, Finca Machaca sits at an elevation of around 1,550 meters. Hernando Machaca grows mainly Red Catuai here as an independent small-scale producer. Like many producers in the region, he faces the challenge of selling his coffee in a market shaped by larger buyers. Its remote location and difficult terrain make access to markets even harder.

That makes the careful work on the farm all the more important. The coffee cherries are hand-picked and processed right on site. For the washed process, they are sorted, depulped, and fermented before drying on the farm for about two weeks. This means Hernando handles the processing himself instead of delivering the cherries to a central washing station. This is an important step, especially for small-scale producers: taking charge of processing gives them greater influence over the coffee’s quality.

La Paz is Bolivia’s best-known coffee-growing region. A growing specialty coffee scene has developed, particularly around La Asunta and Caranavi. Many producers there are improving their processing and building the knowledge and infrastructure needed to produce higher-quality coffee. Having their own processing infrastructure allows them to control more of the journey from the field to green coffee.

Hernando Machaca, with Finca Machaca, is one of these small-scale producers. His coffee represents a trend that is becoming increasingly visible in the Bolivian Yungas.