Nicaragua – Los Papales

The López family established their first coffee plantations over a century ago under the guidance of the family patriarch, Mr Vicente López López, a Nicaraguan citizen of Spanish origin. These early plantations were set in the mountainous Datanlí region of Jinotega. His son, Vicente López Herrera, continued the tradition, founding his own farm, Betania, which remained the family estate until it was confiscated during the Nicaraguan conflict in the 1980s. Today, the family operates two farms, Los Papales and Betania (named in honour of the original holding), cultivating both traditional and improved coffee varieties.

Los Papales lies five kilometres from Jinotega city on the slopes of Cerro Chimborazo, which rises to 1,688 metres above sea level and is among the highest peaks of the Cordillera Isabelia. The farm’s distinctive topography, cloud-forest climate, and commitment to agro-ecological management and biodiversity conservation provide ideal conditions for high-quality Arabica coffees, including lots classified as SHG and SHB.

Finca Los Papales covers 297 manzanas(210 ha) at elevations between 1,300 and 1,500 metres above sea level. The principal varieties include Caturra, Yellow and Red Catuaí, Java, and Pacamara. Harvest runs from January to late March, with ripe cherries handpicked at peak maturity, primarily by families from neighbouring communities. The farm provides permanent employment for around 120 people, rising to approximately 450 during the harvest.