2 - El Río - Mexico 2025 (Experimental)

Hello, I’m Gema Magali — and this is the story of Finca El Río. I’m a third-generation coffee producer, and together with my family, we’ve built a legacy of care, quality, and commitment in every cup. Finca El Río is located in Totutla, Huitzilan de Serdán, Puebla, at an altitude of 1,100–1,200 meters above sea level, surrounded by forests, springs, and mountains that enrich our land — and our coffee.

Our story begins in 2001, when we acquired the farm, but our roots go back to the 1950s. My mother, who taught me to work with love and to give my best, continues to be my greatest example. Since then, our goal has always been to improve — to honor the past while investing in the future.

In 2015, we renovated 70% of our plantation, replacing old Typica trees with new Marsellesa plants, and started planting other high-quality varieties like Bourbon, Pacamara, Blue Mountain, and Geisha on a new section of the farm. This has allowed us to diversify our profiles and respond to the growing demand for exceptional coffees.

Our approach is intentional and careful at every step. We practice selective harvesting, picking only perfectly ripe cherries. After harvest, the coffee is washed, floaters are removed, and we move on to pulping. For this experimental washed lot, we fermented the coffee anaerobically for 130 hours in sealed plastic tanks, carefully monitoring pH, Brix degrees, and TDS throughout the process.

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is washed again, floaters are removed, and then it’s drained and dried. First, we sun-dry it for a day and six hours under shade mesh, then move it to raised drying beds (zarandas) for a slow, even dry over 14 days — part sun, part shade — to preserve clarity and sweetness.

We fertilize every three months using Yara compounds that are gentle on the environment and support plant health. Our farm is managed with sustainable practices: protecting native springs, applying diversified shade with peach, citrus, and banana trees, and promoting biodiversity throughout the land.

We also take great care with storage. Once the coffee is fully dried, we pack it in GrainPro bags and jute sacks, and store it in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness and stability.

Over the past few years, we’ve proudly participated in Cup of Excellence Mexico, earning recognition that affirms our work:

3rd place COE 2022 (91.37 pts)

Women in Coffee Award 2022 and 2025

20th place COE 2023 (87.25 pts)

11th place COE 2024 (87.4 pts)

2nd place COE 2025 (89.39 pts)

For me, coffee is not just a product — it’s a responsibility. I want every buyer, every roaster, and every drinker to feel the intention, care, and passion behind our coffee.