Venezuela’s Forgotten Specialty Coffee Origins

Venezuela is better known for oil than coffee—but its mountainous regions were once home to some of Latin America’s most distinctive estate-grown coffees. Before the 20th century oil boom, Venezuela cultivated respected Typica and Bourbon varieties, particularly in the Andean highlands. Though production plummeted for decades, small farms are now reviving these classic cultivars. If you’ve never tasted a Venezuelan single origin, you’re missing out on a chapter of coffee history that’s slowly re-emerging.

Venezuela’s key coffee-growing region is Táchira State in the southwest, though the name is often applied generically to beans from across the country. Today, most Venezuelan coffee is exported to Russia and Colombia for repackaging, but a growing number of small farms are exporting directly again. Key specialty-origin names include Montebello (San Cristóbal de Táchira), Miramar (Rubio de Táchira), Granija (Timote de Mérida), and Ala Granija (Santa Ana de Táchira).

The Rise and Fall of Venezuelan Coffee

Coffee was introduced to Venezuela from Martinique as early as 1730, and by the 19th century, the country had developed a significant coffee industry. However, the discovery of vast oil reserves shifted economic focus almost entirely away from agriculture. During the oil boom years, coffee farming was largely abandoned, and many estates were left idle or fell into disrepair. By the late 20th century, Venezuela’s role in the global coffee market had become negligible.

The Remaining Coffee Regions and Their Specialties

Although production is a fraction of what it once was, certain regions still produce notable coffees. The most recognized coffee-growing area is Táchira State, in the southwestern Andes. The following Venezuelan coffee origins and estate names are associated with quality single origins:

• Montebello – from San Cristóbal de Táchira
• Miramar – from Rubio de Táchira
• Granija – from Timote de Mérida
• Ala Granija – from Santa Ana de Táchira

Other historical and export-associated names include Maracaibos (the port through which many beans were shipped), Mérida, Trujillo, Santa Filomena, and Cúcuta. While ‘Táchira’ is often used as a blanket term for Venezuelan coffee, the best coffees come from specific estates and micro-regions within the state.

The Return of Family Estates and Classic Varieties

Some historically significant farms are being revived by the families that own them. One example is the Pulido family farm in Mérida, operated by Pablo and Luisa Helena Pulido. They have managed an old plantation for decades, maintaining both original Bourbon trees and planting new ones. Since taking over in the early 1980s, they have balanced harvests from mature trees with the gradual expansion of the farm’s cultivation.

Other regions, such as the Turgua area near Caracas, are also seeing a coffee revival. The Jean and Andrés Boulton estate in Turgua grows Typica coffee—a variety that, like Bourbon, was planted in Venezuela during the 18th and 19th centuries and is now part of the country’s re-emerging specialty coffee identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is coffee grown in Venezuela today?

Venezuela’s primary coffee-growing region is Táchira State in the southwestern Andes, though coffee is also grown in smaller quantities in Mérida, Trujillo, and near Caracas (including in Turgua). The name ‘Táchira’ is often used generically for Venezuelan coffee, but the most distinct single-origin coffees come from specific estates within these regions, such as Montebello and Miramar.

What coffee varieties are traditionally grown in Venezuela?

Venezuela historically grew Typica and Bourbon coffee varieties. These classic Arabica cultivars were planted as early as the 18th century. Some estates, like the Pulido family farm in Mérida, continue to cultivate original Bourbon trees alongside newly planted stock. Typica is also grown at the Boulton estate in Turgua.

Why did Venezuela stop producing coffee?

Venezuela’s coffee production declined sharply during the 20th century due to the oil boom. As petroleum became the dominant export, economic focus and resources shifted away from agriculture, and many coffee farms were abandoned. For decades, coffee was a minor industry, though some estates continued operating at reduced capacity.

Are there any Venezuelan coffees available internationally?

Most Venezuelan coffee is currently exported to Russia and Colombia, where it is often repackaged. However, a growing number of small farms are beginning to export directly again. Certain estate-grown varieties, especially from Táchira State, are slowly becoming available outside Venezuela as the specialty coffee sector revives.

Which Venezuelan coffee farms are reviving production?

The Pulido family estate in Mérida has maintained and expanded its coffee cultivation since the 1980s, growing both original Bourbon trees and new plantings. The Boulton estate in the Turgua area near Caracas is another example, cultivating Typica coffee as part of the broader effort to revive Venezuela’s specialty coffee heritage.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans with Historic Varieties

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