Starbucks acquired Story of Althacia Manor in Costa Rica Coffee Bean planting and processing

The Chac ó n Solano family has grown coffee in Las Lajas for more than 80 years and has lasted for three generations. This generation, led by Oscar and Francisca Chac ó n, began organic farming about 30 years ago and became one of the few farms in Costa Rica to receive official organic certification in 2000. The family strives not only to farm in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, but also to produce the highest quality coffee. They were innovative in processing and were one of Costa Rica's early innovators in improving different honey and natural processing methods.

Las Lajas is located at the foot of the Poa á s volcano from 1300 to 1500m above sea level and is located in the main coffee country in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. This lush, fertile area is characterized by about 3000 millimeters of rainfall on 150 days of the year. The farm produces 100% Arabica coffee, mainly Caturra and Catua í varieties, which grow in the shade of local trees. Organic composting is produced in the field using earthworm farming (worm composting), which is completely free of chemicals and agricultural toxins.

The harvest begins in December and lasts until February. Cherries are carefully selected to ensure that only fully ripe and high-quality cherries are collected. The cherries are then processed in the farm's state-of-the-art micro-factory, where they are pulped with an ecological "dry" pulper, saving thousands of liters of water in the process. Then treat the beans according to the method of complete washing (see below). All the remaining coffee pulp is recycled and used as farm fertilizer.

The coffee is processed according to full washing at the Las Lajas micro-mill of the Chac ó n Solano family, which processes coffee from the surrounding area in addition to all Las Lajas coffee. In fact, in 2008, the factory contributed to Francisca Cubillo Salas winning the Excellence Cup!

Wash the coffee beans thoroughly, dry them on an African bed (elevated screen) or terrace for about 10 days, then transfer them to multiple tunnels to dry until the coffee reaches 11.5% humidity. The beans are placed on parchment before dry grinding and grading with a gravity separator. All the remaining coffee pulp is recycled and used as farm fertilizer.

It is because of its unique coffee flavor that Starbucks has bought a coffee farm in Costa Rica and has tested the best way to grow it at Starbucks' global R & D facilities and work farms. It will also open to its Hacienda Alsacia Visitor Center at the Coffee Farm in Costa Rica on March 7. The farm, located on the slopes of the Boaz volcano, will help develop new technologies for soil management processes, which will eventually affect the taste of coffee offered by stores.