Description
ABOUT
Ignacio Rodriguez’s father purchased the first 3 hectares of Finca La Palmera in 1969 . Through tireless work, he continued expanding the farm, which reached 165 hectares by the time Ignacio inherited it. Today, Ignacio applies the same spirited focus to producing specialty-quality coffees.
The name of this coffee “embrujo” comes from the Spanish word for “spell”. Ignacio believes that truly excellent specialty coffee will evoke the “magic of coffee” for drinkers. To this end, he is focused on transitioning from traditional agriculture to a more specialty focus. Ignacio is building a laboratory and microbiology lab to help him better understand the process at the biological level and ultimately improving his processing for consistency and flavor.
La Palmera is one of the few large estates in the region where 90% of farms are under 5 hectares. This makes them one of the few year-round employers for farm workers and they take their role seriously. They have 7 rooming houses that provide comfortable, safe spaces for workers. Workers receive 3 meals a day and are paid a premium to work at La Palmera. Ignacio also employs 48 women year-round. These women, many of whom are single mothers supporting their families, ensure high-quality by sorting cherry and parchment to remove any defective beans.
