In the 1850s, coffee was brought by missionaries to Vivetnam fruit-producing area of Guatemala's fine coffee.

Coffee was brought to Guatemala by missionaries in the 1850s. In the 19th century, with the invention of synthetic dyes in Europe, Guatemala's original important export product industry was hit, coffee gradually became an important export product, and coffee cultivation gradually expanded. By the end of the 19th century, coffee had played an important role in Guatemala's political economy. Large coffee farmers had great influence on politics. Under the leadership of the president who came from coffee farmers, the government promoted coffee cultivation through free coffee seedlings and tax policies. In 1944, after the elected president came to power, he implemented a reform policy. The cheese of vested interests was overthrown under the planning of the US intelligence department. Guatemala fell into a civil war for half a century until 1996.

The civil war destroyed the original coffee industry, but Guatemala's original coffee species, mainly bourbon, were preserved.

Guatemala's coffee industry occupies an important position in the domestic economy, with coffee exports accounting for one third of total foreign exchange earnings. Guatemala was once the largest coffee producer in Central America until Honduras overtook it in 2011.

Guatemala, the most densely populated country in Central America after Mexico, provides a rich labor force for coffee production, which is mostly grown on small-scale farms. Two thirds of the country is mountainous, and the west and south belong to volcanic zones. The humid climate and rich volcanic ash soil provide unique natural conditions for coffee production. Coffee production is widely distributed in various regions of the central and southern regions except the Petén lowlands in the north.