LENCA Ocotepeque

Honduras - Ocotepeque - LENCA Ocotepeque - SHG EP - Washed - Organic

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SCA score82.5

Aromatic notes

citrus fruitcocoawalnutsweetcerealwoody

In stock, ready to order (69kg)

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History and traceability

The story

CAFESMO (Cafés Especiales Mercedes Ocotepeque) was born from several years of informal collaboration among producers in the Mercedes region, Ocotepeque — an area nestled between Cerro Pital, the Guisayote National Reserve, and the Pacayita volcano, at altitudes ranging from 950 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Officially established in 2016, the cooperative exported its first container of microlots to the United Kingdom in 2019 and has been growing steadily ever since.

What makes CAFESMO unique is the deliberate way it defends its identity. The Lenca–Ocotepeque designation is not a generic regional name — it carries a dual identity: the Lenca indigenous people and the department of Ocotepeque. This cultural root is reflected in every lot they produce.

Beyond identity, CAFESMO is truly innovative: in addition to washed, honey, and natural coffees, they have developed carbonic maceration with remarkable results and continue to expand this line. Their regenerative model is just as tangible — over 45,000 trees planted by the end of 2023, a CO₂ offset program with Solidaridad and Acorn, beehives for pollination and honey production, and coffee pulp used as compost.

It was CAFESMO who approached Belco, convinced that we shared the same values and were the type of importer they wanted to work with. They were right. From the very first contact, this cooperative truly interested us: its scale, its rigor with producers, its traceability, and its business philosophy all aligned with what we look for in long-term partnerships. We spent two harvests building the relationship and finding the ideal place for their coffees within the Belco project — and this harvest, we have finally started working together.

CAFESMO embodies the principles that Belco seeks to promote at origin: a real impact through fair prices and local employment, sustainability as a practice rather than marketing, and long-term relationships built on trust and Transparency.

CAFESMO grew out of years of informal collaboration among producers in the Mercedes, Ocotepeque area — a region nestled between Cerro Pital, the Guisayote National Reserve, and the Pacayita volcano, at altitudes ranging from 950 to 2,000 masl. Formally established in 2016, the cooperative exported its first microlot container to the United Kingdom in 2019 and has been growing steadily ever since.

What makes CAFESMO singular is the deliberate way it defends its identity. The Lenca–Ocotepeque denomination is not a generic regional name — it carries a double identity: the indigenous Lenca people and the department of Ocotepeque. This cultural rootedness is reflected in every lot they produce.

Beyond identity, CAFESMO is genuinely innovative: alongside washed, honey, and natural coffees, they have developed carbonic maceration with standout results and continue expanding that line. Their regenerative model is equally concrete — over 45,000 trees planted by the end of 2023, a CO₂ compensation program with Solidaridad and Acorn, beehives for pollination and honey production, and coffee pulp used as compost.

It was CAFESMO who approached Belco, convinced that we shared values and that we were the kind of importer they wanted to work with. They were right. From the very first contact, this was a cooperative that genuinely interested us: their scale, their rigor with producers, their traceability, and their business philosophy all aligned with what we look for in long-term partnerships. We spent two harvests building the relationship and finding the right space for their coffees within the Belco project — and this harvest, we finally began working together.

CAFESMO embodies the principles Belco seeks to promote at origin: real impact through fair pricing and local employment, sustainability as practice rather than marketing, and long-term relationships built on trust and Transparency.

This coffee stands out for its superbalanced, clean sweetness — notes of nuts and chocolate, a friendly body, and the kind of everyday reliability that works in any consumption context. It's the dependable base every espresso program needs.

What we loved was the consistency and clean sweetness. This coffee doesn't miss — balanced, approachable, and highly versatile across brewing methods and milk-based drinks.

What makes it unmissable is the combination of processing control (own dry mill, agronomists in the family, with Gabriel Jr. on his way to becoming a Q Grader) and genuine Lenca–Ocotepeque territorial identity. This is not an anonymous blend — it has a face, a history, and a concrete origin. A multi-generational family project with a long-term vision, and a story that resonates with any roaster who values Transparency at origin.