El Salvador receives a new denomination
The small Central American country of El Salvador has embraced a new denomination of origin, known as ‘Cafe Alotepec’. Announced in late May 2017, this denomination will act as a means of identifying coffees that come from the Alotepec region in Chalatenango, a well-known coffee growing region in El Salvador.
This micro-region is no stranger to success; for the last seven years, coffees from this region have placed 1st in the Cup of Excellence (CoE) program in El Salvador, and multiple coffees from this region has won categories in the Project Origin ‘Best of El Salvador’ auction programs.
Alotepec mountain range is a northern mountain range in El Salvador and includes the highest point in the country, at 2800 metres above sea level. The President of this denomination is Jorge Raul Rivera, producer of Santa Rosa coffee farm and multiple CoE winner (including 2017).
“The idea for the denomination came from Project Origin,” Rivera said. “I liked the way Project Origin set the price for beautiful coffees, so having the best coffees of El Salvador in this mountain range, it was only logical to brand them as the very best and to make sure they sell for the right price.”
Rivera says that the identification of coffees that come from this particular area will not only help when it comes to categorisation, but will economically empower producers.
“The [Alotepec] denomination will help small producers achieve higher prices, as well as making sure that the money received for these coffees stays in the area,” he said.
“It will also help to attract direct trade customers and empower small producers.”
Rivera has high hopes for the Alotepec denomination, with plans to promote the region and bring the community together.
“…empowerment [will come] from events to be held in the micro region, as well as from the producer making a better living.”
Rivera says that although there are still several rules and guidelines in the works, the main theme and purpose of the Alotepec denomination is quality.
