Finca Telia – Herbazú

Herbazú was at the forefront of the micro-mill revolution in Costa Rica during the early 2000s. Dissatisfied with the low prices at that time, José Antonio Barrantes Zuñiga (Toño) and his brothers and sisters established the Herbazú mill. Processing their own coffee helped them to achieve higher prices by selling directly to the exporters and coffee buyers. The alternative at the time was to sell to local cooperatives where their coffee was mixed with others and traceability back to their farms and therefore premiums associated with their higher quality was lost. The Barrantes siblings continue to innovate in the industry in Costa Rica; they are one of the first mills to actively distinguish grades of mechanical washed (white to red honey) processing, and in the last few years they have been planting cultivars new to Costa Rica. They now have 12 different cultivars on the farms and are vigilant at keeping the different harvests separate during picking and processing. Recently, Toño installed a new pulper and demucilager to their micro-mill. This new equipment is more water and electricity efficient and along with these changes there are plans for a solar panel system to power the mill. All this work has helped Herbazú gain the Bandera Azul (Blue Flag) which is awarded by the government to local companies that are committed and working towards better environmental practices in their industries. It is difficult to overestimate the impact the Barrantes family has had on coffee growing and processing in Costa Rica and other countries. They have developed Herbazú into a model farm and micro-beneficio and their advice and expertise is highly appreciated and respected in the industry.