The Micro Mill Revolution in Costa Rica
by Francisco A. Mena, February 2006

This year, Costa Rica is celebrating 200 years of coffee production, 75 years of our Coffee Institute (ICAFE), 20 years of the government decree that banned the production of robusta which turned our beautiful country a 100% arabica coffee origin.

We are a small coffee origin in the world, yet a special origin, a unique "coffee gem" as I call it. Costa Rica has been blessed with perfect conditions for the production of coffee: "a terrific terroir", with historical values such as peace, democracy, social, environmental and labor laws, population access to medicine, healthcare and education... in which coffee production has played an important role as the foundation of our economy.

We have been able to identify 8 producing regions (West Valley, Central Valley, Tres Rios, Orosi, Turrialba, Tarrazu, Brunca and Guanacaste) each one with unique environmental characteristics creating specific cup profiles to its coffee.

Throughout many years we have produced great coffees, recognized worldwide amongst the world's best, positioning more than 60% of our production in the specialty markets. We are also considered leaders in environmental sound practices implemented in our coffee mills with an investment of over USD $100 million.

Recently, in the past 6-7 years, we have been experiencing a micro mill revolution in our coffee regions. We have seen how many producers are adding value to their coffee farms by processing their cherries in an entrepreneurial way, empowering themselves in taking the next step, by carefully sun drying and preparing one day's harvest at a time, full of enthusiasm and pride, recreating and rediscovering our "terroir", our micro regions.

We have over 75 micro mills in same number of microclimates, crafting perfection in every bean, in every micro lot, enhancing those nuances and subtleties of exquisite aromas. The micro mills have rediscovered specific characteristics in the cup that due to mass production it was impossible to enjoy before, we are raising the bar from specialty lots to boutique micro lots.

Costa Rica is celebrating this revolution, developed with passion and excellence by our micro millers, re-creating the coffee country model, just like the wine country model. We are experiencing innovation and creativity, enjoying pure culivar micro lots and honey coffees... producers are scouting the micro regions, searching for unique coffee trees, such as Bourbons, Typicas, Mundo Novos and Geishas...

Enjoy the re-discovery of Costa coffee, knowing that our aroma is filled with peace, democracy and social balance.