Honduras El Chollo N°366

We have been big fans of this coffee, produced by Carlos Mejia, for several years. His farm, Finca El Chollo, takes its name from Carlos' nickname, "Chollo", which also lends its name to this lot. Located in the Quilaperque area of La Paz in southern Honduras, the farm benefits from a unique high-altitude tropical climate that has earned the region a reputation for producing "coffee from the clouds". Sitting at 1,450 masl, Finca El Chollo spans 16 hectares of coffee, planted primarily with the high-quality IHCAFE 90 and Red Catuai varieties, alongside one hectare of citrus fruit. Around 65,000 coffee trees produce approximately 400 bags annually.

The Mejia family have been producing coffee for five generations and, in 2021, established CONEXH, their family-owned export company. Their goal was to become a trusted partner for international buyers at origin, with a strong focus on quality control and traceability. Today, the family owns 10 farms across the Montecillos Sierra and works alongside a further 40 producers in the region, all committed to producing exceptional specialty coffee.

The farms and wider cooperative use a traditional sun drying method to produce their natural coffees. This process is overseen by the founders' father, Mario Mejia Martinez, who previously worked for the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE). Cherries are harvested by hand and transferred directly to raised drying beds, where they dry for 12–15 days depending on weather conditions. Once fully dried, the coffee is hulled to remove the fruit before being milled and prepared for export.