La Avila SL28

Near Santiago de Maria in southeastern El Salvador, high in the mountains of Cerro El Tigre, lies the Las Mercedes family of farms. Finca Las Mercedes has been passed down through five generations of the Ortiz family. Through their 125-year history, they have obtained a reputation as one of the elite coffee producers in El Salvador.

In 2006 Finca Las Mercedes won First Place in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence. Lucia de Ortiz, who manages marketing and relationships for the farm, placed a call to Jeff Taylor, owner of PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, and they began a partnership that has lasted since that initial call in 2006. Each year we are excited to explore the diversity of varieties, processing, and innovations from Lucia and her team.

 Finca Las Mercedes and the Ortiz family continually give back to their community, having constructed a local school, a health clinic, providing food for a nursing home, and support for the local soccer team. The health clinic currently serves more than 13 communities that surround Finca Las Mercedes. It is an invaluable part of the farm community and treasured by the neighbors and workers.