If you are standing in a specialty coffee shop and the barista talks about the origin of the coffee, it is almost always the same countries. Colombia. Ethiopia. Kenya. Guatemala. Mexico is rarely mentioned. And that is actually hard to understand.
Because Mexico has been one of the larger coffee-producing countries in the world for centuries. The problem is not in the quality. It is in the recognition.
Mexicaanse koffie and the regions that matter
Mexico has 49 coffee regions spread across 15 states, but the lion's share of production comes from four regions. Chiapas in the south borders Guatemala and produces around 31 percent of all Mexican coffee. Veracruz and Puebla follow at a respectful distance. Oaxaca is smaller but known for its subtle flavour profiles with light acidity and notes of cacao and caramel.
Chiapas is the most exciting Mexico koffie regio in the country. The plots sit at 1200 to 1800 metres altitude, the soil is volcanic and fertile, and the climate combines daytime warmth with cool nights. Those conditions are ideal for arabica. Specialty koffie Mexico comes largely from this state.
Why Mexico is underestimated in the specialty market
Part of the explanation is historical. For years the majority of Mexican coffee was exported as anonymous bulk coffee, without mention of origin or farmer. The coffee disappeared into large blends and nobody knew where it came from. Some cafes sold coffee from Mexico for years while printing Colombia on the packaging.
But something has changed. A new generation of coffee farmers and importers is working on direct trade and transparency. Cup of Excellence, the internationally recognised quality program for specialty coffee, has now evaluated several Mexican coffees that finished in the top ten. The quality was always there. What was missing was the story. And the growing attention for fair coffee prices is partly contributing to Mexico now being taken more seriously.
Koffie uit Chiapas as the best example
Chiapas borders the Guatemalan coffee region of Huehuetenango, a region that has been considered one of the best in the world for years. Anyone who knows coffee knows that border is arbitrary. The climate, altitude and soil quality on both sides are comparable. The best Chiapas coffee can easily compete with what Colombia or Guatemala produces.
What sets Chiapas apart is the dominance of small family farms. Around 95 percent of Mexican coffee producers work less than three hectares. That small scale allows for intensive, careful cultivation. How that cultivation works and what it does to the flavour is something few consumers know. Mexico produces world-class coffee. That it went unnoticed for so long has more to do with trade than with quality. And for those who want to understand the comparison with other origins, Perfect Daily Grind gives a good overview of what Mexico has to offer.