With this year’s stunners from Finca Margarita having hit our hoppers, we wanted to check back in with Maria Zoila Piñeda and see how she is feeling as she enters her fifth harvest post infrastructure improvements.
We teamed up with export partners Caravela back in 2019, launching our first project at origin which aimed to improve the processing infrastructure on Maria’s farm. A project that has not only gone on to aid her coffee quality and consistency in production, but has also allowed her to access the portion of her coffees income that would otherwise have been outsourced to a neighbouring producer.
We recently checked in with Maria to ask some pertinent questions that highlight the impact these improvements are having on Maria, her farm workers and the farm itself:
Do you feel you have a market for your coffee that enables you to make a profit?
Yes, because I can sell to North Star through Caravela, and that is very important to me. I believe the farm sustains itself, provides employment, and with what's left, we work on making improvements each year, as much as is possible and that the circumstances allow.
Has this improved since the installation of the infrastructure?
Yes, because the process is now much more hygienic, which can contribute to quality, achieving the expected results, and delivering a cleaner tasting product.
Are you able to reinvest any profits back into the development of your business?
Yes, we are already working on it. Currently, the focus is on improving conditions for our farm employees. We are working on building a kitchen for our employees to have a place to have their meals, and we are also constructing sanitary facilities for them to ensure better conditions. This will ultimately enable us to produce a better product.
Do you feel more motivated to continue in coffee farming?
Very motivated, mainly because I feel supported, I sense that my product is well-received, and the farm is my favourite place to enjoy the beauty of nature. At the same time, I can appreciate the diversity it offers and the fruits I can cultivate.
Why?
Because my farm is also a source of employment, and it's gratifying to feel that one can support people in this way while contributing to the environment by maintaining the biodiversity of flora and fauna. Being a part of the coffee forests in the country, and, being a bit ambitious, why not think that it could become a tourist attraction in the future? These are just thoughts that time will decide.
We absolutely love the why to Maria’s motivation and are pleased that it appears she is thriving thanks to the improvements and support she now has access to. She clearly cares deeply for those whom Finca Margarita supports and the environment in which the farm sits. It is important to note that when Maria refers to her coffee being ‘well received’ and that she feels ‘supported’, this refers directly to you loyal NS El Salvador coffee drinkers and the power that comes with your purchases! Thanks to you, we have a market for Maria's incredible beans and you can be safe in the knowledge that sales of this year's Pacas & Pacamara are helping to sustain the future of our industry by sustaining those that are vital to it!