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

In the 1850s, coffee was brought to Guatemala by missionaries. In the 19th century, with the invention of European synthetic dyes, Guatemala's original important export industry was hit, coffee gradually became an important export, and coffee cultivation gradually expanded. By the end of the 19th century, coffee had played an important role in Guatemalan politics and economy. Large coffee farmers had great influence on the political situation. Under the leadership of a president born as a coffee farmer, the government promoted coffee cultivation through free coffee seedlings and tax policies. In 1944, after the democratically elected president came to power, the reform policy was implemented and the cheese of the vested interests was overthrown under the planning of the US intelligence service. Guatemala was plunged into a half-century-long civil war until 1996.

The civil war damaged the original coffee industry, but the original species of coffee in Guatemala, mainly bourbon, were preserved.

Guatemala's coffee industry plays an important role in the domestic economy, with coffee exports accounting for 1/3 of total foreign exchange revenues. Guatemala was once the largest coffee producer in China and the United States until it was overtaken by Honduras in 2011.

Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America after Mexico, provides a rich labour force for coffee production, which is grown on most small-scale farms. 2/3 of the country is mountainous, and the west and south belong to volcanic belts. The humid climate and rich volcanic ash soil provide unique natural conditions for coffee production. Coffee production is widely distributed in all parts of the south-central region except the Peton lowlands in the north.