Our story
Specialty Coffees Mercedes Ocotepeque (CAFESMO)
We are more than 280 coffee growers united under the name CAFESMO, a cooperative that has worked passionately for Honduran coffee for many years and that in 2016 formalized its alliance to strengthen the production and marketing of specialty coffees.
Our farms are small —between two and twelve hectares—, but by joining forces we gain strength and proudly express our motto: diversity and quality.
Each farm is FTO (Fairtrade-Organic) certified. Over time, we have perfected our cultivated varieties, adapting them to the altitudes and unique characteristics of each microclimate. Thanks to this, we now offer a wide selection of specialty coffees, recognized in Europe, the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Chile, Japan, and other destinations around the world.
Our growing area extends around the hills of Mercedes, in western Honduras, very close to the borders with El Salvador and Guatemala. These fertile lands, protected by some of the highest mountains in the country, are the heart where the unmistakable flavor of CAFESMO is born.
To the west, the imposing Pital hill dominates the horizon, while on the other sides rise the Güisayote National Reserve and the Pacayita volcano. The constant presence of these mountains creates unique microclimates for coffee cultivation, while also harboring diverse flora and fauna, surrounding the farms with abundant natural shade.
The Ocotepeque region is renowned for its fertile soil and ideal altitude range for producing coffees with exceptional sensory profiles. We are confident that Mercedes and Ocotepeque will continue to garner recognition and awards in the years to come.
Our members cultivate coffee at altitudes ranging from 950 to 2,000 meters above sea level (3,100 to 6,500 feet), although most farms are located between 1,200 and 1,600 meters. Thanks to this diverse topography, we enjoy a long harvest season, which begins in late October and concludes in early March.
We have a wide selection of varieties, among which Pacas, Lempira, Parainema, Catuaí, Obata, Colombia and IH-Café 90 stand out, among others.
Our motto, “Diversity and Quality,” describes not only our coffees but also the people who grow them. At CAFESMO, we are a diverse community of young and old, women and men, each with a unique story and a shared commitment to excellence. Our members include traditional producers, professionals from various disciplines, and even a microbiologist and a lifelong professor who is also a coffee farmer.
CAFESMO is a proudly Honduran initiative, created and managed entirely by Hondurans. However, we work hand in hand with partners in Canada, the United States, and the Netherlands, who share our vision and appreciation for single-origin coffee.
Together we represent diversity and quality; united we are stronger!
The CAFESMO team.
Our mission
To cultivate coffee in a sustainable and – as far as possible – circular way, to provide economic and social sustainability to our community and its future generations.
Certifications that support our quality
