Guatemala Bella Vista

About this coffee

Bella Vista, a wet/dry mill and export company led by Luis Pedro Zelaya Zamora, a fourth-generation coffee producer and trained agronomist. For many years, the Zelaya family’s business focus was on commercial coffee production and export. This changed in 2000 when Luis Pedro began developing and changing Bella Vista’s focus into specialty coffee and microlots, with the support of some early clients.Over time Bella Vista has been able to successfully transition into a business solely focusing on specialty coffee. The Bella Vista team is constantly looking for ways to provide jobs to as many families in their surrounding communities as possible, along with supplying the best quality coffee they can.

In addition to processing, milling and exporting coffee, the Bella Vista team, who have considerable training in modern agronomy education, manage many of the fincas from which they buy coffee. In more recent seasons, Bella Vista have expanded further outside their Antigua home to work with smallholder families who otherwise find it challenging to process coffee and find good markets for their lots.

After riping the cherries, the coffee is taken to Bella Vista for wet and dry mill. Coffee is separated by lots (day of picking, variety, altitude). Then it goes through the whole process of depulping, fermentation, washing and the drying process.
The coffee could be sun-dried in patios or in the greenhouse. The greenhouse allows to dry the coffee in a controlled environment and gradually, which results in a better cup. The airflow permits a more uniform drying process and the coffee
beans can easily be hand sorted.