El Majahual - El Salvador 2014 Verified listing

In 1936, Don Rafael Meza-Ayau Senior, grandfather of the current owner, acquired properties in the Los Naranjos Valley located in Sonsonate, El Salvador , where moderate weather and an ideal altitude combined to provide some of the most fertile land in the country for cultivating coffee.  Finca El Majahual was one of those properties.

During the 1950´s, coffee harvested at Finca El Majahual was exported under the brand name Los Naranjos that was renowned in Europe for its excellent cupping quality, a robust body and flavor as well as good acidity. Up until 1981, the coffee produced was exclusively exported to the European markets.

After several years, Finca El Majahual was handed down to Don Rafael´s grandson, Roberto H. Murray-Meza who has maintained an ongoing commitment to improve the worker´s quality of life by providing medical assistance, education, and leisure spaces to workers, their families, and to neighboring community members as well. This constant effort to give back to the community while protecting the environment has been recognized and certified by organizations such as Rainforest Alliance and Starbucks.

Most coffee produced at Finca El Majahual is of the Bourbón variety. It is grown under shade which contributes to maintain the coffee forest biodiversity. The farm produces an average of 2,700 bags of green coffee per year in an area of 90 hectares and with approximately 2,500mm of annual rainfall.

Since a few years ago, the best coffee from Finca El Majahual has been exported and sold as specialty coffee to roasters in the United States, the U.K., and Japan among others.

Most recently, Roberto’s children, Christina and Patrick Murray-Alvarez have gotten involved in the management of the farm and in the specialty coffee business. As a result, they decided to participate in the Cup of Excellence 2014 Contest.

A choice sample of the Bourbón variety grown and carefully harvested at 1,550 meters above sea level was submitted for the Cup of Excellence contest.  The coffee from Finca El Majahual was selected by the international jury as one of the top 30 best quality coffees in El Salvador .

It is a truly honorable tradition for the Murray-Alvarez family of coffee growers to be able to contribute to the development of Los Naranjos Valley, its people and the environment, while promoting the coffee industry in El Salvador and abroad in a sustainable way.