MEXICO SAN LUCAS

Recommended Retail Price: £12/250g

Tasting Notes: Rich with standout depth of flavour. Comforting milk chocolate, brown sugar and notes of cola with warm spice are elevated by a syrupy cherry and yellow plum fruitiness.

Region: Oaxaca, Sierra Flores de Magón
Altitude: 1,600 - 2,000 m.a.s.l.
Variety: Typica, Bourbon
Process: Washed

This delicious coffee was grown by two indigenous Mazatec producer communities in the municipality of San Lucas Zoquiápam, the highest part of the Sierra de Flores Magón, Oaxaca. The area is very remote. Many of the coffee farms are difficult to reach due to narrow, inaccessible roads. It’s also one of the most disadvantaged areas in the Sierra Mazateca. The state of Oaxaca, in turn, is one of the poorest in Mexico, with over half the population living in poverty. 

As a result of their isolation the people living in San Lucas Zoquiápam are highly self reliant and community oriented. Growing food on family farms fosters a sense of reciprocity and communal effort known as faena (referred to as tequio, guelaguetza, fajina or kórima, among others in different regions). For instance, community members take turns assisting each other in harvesting crops, eliminating the need for paid labour. Community organisation plays a vital role in decision making processes about all aspects of life such as security, education, healthcare and sports.

The coffee growers of San Lucas Zoquiápam use traditional polyculture systems, combining coffee plants with fruit and timber trees. They also practise milpa, growing corn alongside other crops, and maintain organic agricultural practices. Though it’s a practice as old as agriculture, this method of farming is getting a lot of attention from the specialty coffee industry as the negative impacts of commercial farming are accelerating climate change and making it harder for coffee farmers to sustain incomes. The International Coffee Organization released their annual report in November 2024 focusing on the importance of a circular economy and regenerative agriculture practices.

Ensambles, the exporter/importer for this coffee, set up a warehouse and lab in Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca in 2021, making it easier to reach producers in remote areas like San Lucas. Led by field coordinator Osiris Martínez, the team trains coffee growers year-round in sustainable farming methods. During harvest time, the quality control team checks all lots delivered to ensure fair prices based on bean quality. They also give personalised feedback to help producers understand areas of improvements for future harvests.

The facility, training and market access provided by Ensembles has improved the income of producers. According to Ensembles they paid 70% above local prices for this coffee. The low yields of most Oaxacan coffee farms are one of the main barriers to higher income. Yields are low because of the polyculture style of cultivation and also because many of the coffee trees are older and thus produce less fruit.