Juan Daniel Rodriguez

In the beautiful coffee town of Unión Cantinil, Huehuetenango, lies Finca Las Lomas, owned by coffee producer Juan Rodriguez. With over 30 years of experience in coffee growing, Juan Rodriguez’s passion for the profession was instilled in him by his parents. He is proud to carry the family legacy and hopes his son and grandchildren will continue. Juan runs his farm efficiently with his son and temporary workers from the community.

Juan’s son is his right hand and assists him in various farm activities and coffee processing. Three years ago, Juan shifted his focus to producing high-quality coffees. He longed for better opportunities, fair prices for their hard work, and the recognition and reputation that comes with producing high-quality coffee. Juan highlights that growing coffee presents many challenges, significantly when growing specialty coffee, yet continues to commit to this pursuit. He would like to establish a cultivation area for the Gesha variety as part of his plans. The farm grows two varieties: Caturra (70%) and Bourbon (30%).

Juan and his team take great care to ensure the production of exceptional coffees. They emphasize optimal harvesting of the coffee cherries, followed by pulping and a carefully timed 25-hour fermentation process that varies depending on weather conditions. The coffee is then traditionally dried on concrete patios. During the months when harvesting is not taking place, Juan devotes his time to maintaining the farm and tending to other businesses, such as a local store. He also grows other crops, such as bananas, citrus fruits, and pacayas (edible palm), diversifying his agricultural activities.