This is an exciting selection from a young producer in southern Ecuador. At just 23 years old, Pablo cultivates coffee on a small 2-hectare (~5-acre) garden. In the cup we find lemon curd, rose water, and pineapple.
Mejorado
Palanda, Zamora
1,700 masl
July, 2024
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. De-pulped on the day of harvest. Dry-fermented for 70 hours. Hand-sorted. Dried on raised beds for 16 days until moisture content reaches 10.5%.
ABOUT PABLO MALACATOS
Pablo Malacatos tends a beautiful, small coffee garden in southern Ecuador, near the Peruvian border. While we have worked with a few producers from this remote area, its isolation has made consistent engagement challenging. Pablo inherited his garden from his parents and immediately planted what he believes is the best variety in Ecuador—a sentiment we wholeheartedly share. Now 4 to 5 years old, his trees are producing exceptional fruit, showcasing the potential of this unique region.
ABOUT MEJORADO
Mejorado is a very unique variety mainly grown in Ecuador. Though it is colloquially known as Typica Mejorado, we now know — thanks to genetic testing by World Coffee Reseach — that it is actually a Bourbon variety cross-pollinated with an Ethiopian Landrace variety.
Pricing Details
FARM GATE (USD)
$11.01/KG
FOB
$13.21/KG
FOT
$17.61/KG
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.