An origin that produces coffee as diverse as the industry leaders, Honduras has quietly been going about its business and gaining worldwide recognition as a coffee-growing powerhouse.
A History of Coffee in Honduras
Similar to many South American countries, coffee was first introduced to Honduras during Spanish occupation in the 19th century.
The first coffee plants were brought to the country by missionaries and were planted in the Copan region in the West of the country. Coffee quickly became an important part of the economy and as early as the mid-1800s, Honduras had started exporting coffee to other countries.
It wasn’t until the late 1800s that the coffee industry in Honduras began to expand, and the country has steadily grown to become a major producer of coffee for the world. Coffee production grew steadily until the 1970s before being interrupted by civil war and being decimated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. After four-fifths of the industry was wiped out by this hurricane, the Honduran coffee industry has steadily invested more into its assets and infrastructure and has since quietly grown into one of the best coffee-growing regions in the world.
Today, Honduras is one of the top producers of coffee in the world and is the second-largest producer of organic coffee. An important part of the economy, the country now exports millions of bags of coffee every year. Known for its exceptional quality and unique flavour, Honduran speciality coffee is enjoyed by coffee enthusiasts around the world.
Honduras’ Coffee Producing Regions
Not only one of the largest coffee-producing countries in the world, Honduras is one of the most important coffee-exporting countries in Central America. Similar to many Central American coffees, Honduras produces a wide range of flavour profiles from its diverse growing regions.
Coffee production in Honduras is centred in the highlands of the country, primarily in the departments of Copan, Santa Barbara, and Comayagua. Over 90% of the 110,000 producers are registered as ‘small producers’ growing coffee on farms of five hectares or less in very mountainous regions.
Coffee production in Honduras has been a major source of income for the country since the early 19th century, grown alongside the traditional cash crops of bananas and papaya. Different varieties of arabica coffee are grown in a myriad of different microclimates; these microclimates generate the incredibly diverse flavour that Honduras is known for.
Honduras’ mountainous interior benefits from unique cloud forest habitats, that not only sustain incredible amounts of biodiversity of flora and fauna but also provide ideal arabica growing conditions. Typically grown between 1,300 — 2,200 masl., Honduras’ low cloud systems provide shade cover for cherries to ripen slowly, allowing additional nutrients to be absorbed into the coffee for enhanced flavour development.
IHCAFE(Instituto Hondureño del Café) have played an integral role in promoting the diverse coffee profiles that Honduras can produce. Similar to Anacafé (the Guatemalan coffee governing body), IHCAFE have played a key role in increasing the quality of Honduran coffee by implementing best practices and improving its production and marketing processes.
Coffee Processing in Honduras
Thanks to an abundant water supply, much of the coffee grown in Honduras is washed after harvesting, allowing the slow-grown coffee to truly shine. The high altitudes, volcanic soils and diverse microclimates in Honduras produce incredibly varied coffee, depending on which region it’s sourced from.
Advanced infrastructure throughout the country means processing is highly mechanised, with most farmers using modern harvesting and processing methods. These include mechanical picking machines,
Rich flavour with sweet aroma, Honduran coffee often is associated with flavours such as caramel, apricot, chocolate, and tropical fruit/berries.
Honduran Coffee at Allpress
You’ll find the soft and sweet flavours of Honduran coffee in our Browns Mill Organic. The Honduran here brings delicious orange citrus and stone-fruit notes, moderate acidity and lots of sweetness. Paired with a Peruvian origin, this blend is smooth and well-rounded with notes of milk chocolate and citrus.
With the occasional Honduran being spotlighted in Our single origin program, the next time you’re looking to explore new flavour with your coffee, be sure to give this unique origin a try.
