Coffee has always played a major role in Costa Rica’s history and economy. Up until a few years ago it was Costa Rica’s #1 exported and very commercialized product. The largest growing areas are in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, and Cartago. It is grown just about everywhere in Costa Rica.
Even if I like all the commercial brands like Cafe Milagro and Britt, I really prefer the tiny low-volume farm-specific coffee producers who now keep their lots separate, and either sells just the beans and/or mills it themselves where they keep total control of the process with the best possible flavors and prices. One can still buy a kilo (2.2lbs) of coffee between 3-$6 USD. The San Jose Central Mercado has several coffee retailers that offer local prices.
Costa Rica coffee is considered some of the best in the world. It is high in caffeine, very good body, exquisite aroma and excellent acidity. With said, it is often blended with inferior varieties. Many of the US store brand coffees have a mixture of Costa Rica beans.
Costa Rica has six coffee regions, West Valley, Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Brunca and Turrialba. The coffee is grown in varies altitudes from 2400-5500 feet and each has their signature tastes.
Each region and growers boasts, “Theirs is the best,” which has caused this understandable rivalness, like Californians’ winery’s have. However, unlike wine, there are those that have counterfeited coffee, claiming it is from a particular region when in reality it may be blends from several regions and/or some local farmer who is selling his personal coffee harvest on some roadside stand, claiming its Tarrazu coffee when it is not.
Unless you are a coffee expert, who cares, as long as it tastes good. Right?
Sorry – wrong! Coffee growers have always wanted the distinction to label their coffee with some type of guarantee or “Good House Keeping Award” to hype their particular brand is genuine Costa Rica coffee from a particular region.
Well that changed last week when the Costa Rica’s Ministry of Agriculture awarded a trademark on crops (targeting the coffee and bananas produce market) grown in Costa Rica that share unique qualities that set them apart from the rest of the regions. This labeling or branding designates that the air, climate and soil of a particular Costa Rica produce is unique to the region.
In otherwords, Coffee from Costa Rica will receive a identity seal that sets it apart from ordinary coffee and will lift it to the category of “prestige” coffee.
This seal, is a form of a geographic identity and will certify that the coffee was grown in Costa Rica and contains no beans from other regions and identify certain growers from what coffee regions within those provinces.
Even if I think this is a good thing [branding a produce], the downside, expect those “prestige coffees” to be more expensive in both local and export sales.
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