Jose Roberto Monterroso

Finca El Morito is located in Mataquescuintla, Jalapa in Guatemala, surrounded by mountains and a variety of trees, flora, and fauna with nutrient-rich soils. Jose Roberto Monterroso, an enthusiastic coffee producer, is the farmer behind this farm. He is well-known for leading this state farm, which he acquired in 1994. Back then as a family farm and with a large and skilled team, they started growing different varieties such as Bourbon, Pache, and Catuia. Over time, they introduced exotic and hybrid varieties and experimented with washed, honey, and natural processing methods. The farm is located at an altitude of 1400 to 2100 MASL, where the coffee harvest season takes place every year from January to April. The highest peak of the farm is at 2650 MASL, where humid weather prevails. This state farm has 672 hectares, of which about 98 hectares are dedicated to coffee cultivation and the rest is a conversation area for native trees, flora, and fauna.

Jose Roberto is incredibly open to innovation and is constantly experimenting on his farm. He knows his farm like the back of his hand and can tell you where every variety and batch come from. He says that getting into specialty coffee production has been one of the best decisions of his life. It took Jose Roberto and his team ten years to become a first-place award-winning coffee farm. Over time, he has won several awards in the Cup of Excellence since 2010, with the different farms he manages, such as Rio Dorado, El Morito, and Montana Helada, ranking among the top 20 lots and making it to the international coffee stage, but without reaching first place: his main goal. In 2020, Montana Helada farm placed 14th and Rio Dorado 19th, in 2021 Rio Dorado with Pacamara washed Pacamara placed 6th and Montana Helada with a Gesha Natural washed 8th. In 2022 Jose Roberto participated with a Washed Gesha lot from El Morito farm and placed first with 91.75 points.

Today, Jose Roberto has received the economic benefits of being an award­ winning farm, recognized for becoming part of a new generation of farmers trying to innovate and bring Guatemala to the forefront as a country for specialty coffee. What makes Jose Roberto and his farm so special and successful is his absolute passion for what he does. Nowadays, he also grows other varieties such as Red Pacamara, Yellow Pacamara, Gesha, Catuai, Bourbon, Pache San Ramon, and Anacafe 14.