Salvador, J. Hill Farm
On our way to the final leg of the journey, we headed to Santa Ana in El Salvador, home to the Las Tres Puertas processing plant of J. Hill Farm. Expectations were high; the place has an international reputation for microlots, natural, and semi-natural coffee. After crossing the Salvadoran border, which is a rather intense experience in itself, we made our way to the Santa Ana countryside. Along the highway, several coffee plantations, blanketed in dust, were visible. After SHG, we encountered SHWG; Strictly Highway Grown . Okay, the joke is in poor taste, especially considering El Salvador had just experienced its worst years in terms of productivity. Coffee rust had wreaked havoc, decimating entire Bourbon plantations. The financial burden on farmers was considerable. The only effective solution was to clear the plantations and start from scratch with coffee rust-resistant genetics. The financial losses were substantial, even for organizations the size of J. Hill. I can only imagine the disaster for small property owners…
However, the future looks brighter. Faced with this scourge, producers have found solutions; several rust-resistant varieties are being replanted, and production is expected to increase in the coming years. The resilience of the locals in the face of these problems is incredible; it puts our North American gringo problems into perspective…
The region's producers have also grasped the importance of producing value-added coffees. Microlots with various processing methods (natural, honey, etc.) yield explosive and distinctive flavor profiles. The Las Tres Puertas operation is based precisely on this trend, and this group supports local producers in developing high-quality coffee with an emphasis on provenance and traceability from different plantations. Their facilities allow for the processing of these small quantities of high-quality specialty coffee, and believe me, the result in the cup is an aromatic masterpiece! So many excellent coffees that this year's entire production is already sold out, but rest assured, we will do everything possible to obtain these coffees next year.
In closing, I would like to thank Mario Mendoza, general manager at Las tres Puertas, who generously answered all our questions and whose goal is to rebuild Salvadoran production with a focus on microlots and specialties, which ultimately allows producers to receive a little more for their high-quality coffees.
Olivier Bertrand Fontaine, Director of Operations
