About Finca El Pantanal y Café Ambrosia de Guatemala

Finca El Pantanal’s story began with the purchase of a small plot of land by Dulce’s grandfather, Pedro. Her father, Alfonso, later inherited the small farm and, little by little, has grown it into the prosperous farm now known as Finca El Pantanal. With much love and perseverance, Alfonso continues to invest in is father’s legacy with the hopes of leaving his children with a sustainable business in the coffee industry.

Located in the Aldea el Cielito Mountains in Cuilapa Santa Rosa, Guatemala, Finca Pantanal is 1,100 meters above sea level. Finca Pantanal produces different varietals of coffee including catuai, catimor, and marsellesa. These varietals contain balanced flavors and a pronounced aftertaste with an average cupping score between 80-83 points.

They are now looking into the specialty coffee market. Thanks to the Seed Capital Grant from the Grounds for Empowerment program, they are now experimenting with partially washed (honey) and natural coffees, and with that diversifying the processes, qualities, and flavors. The family uses washed processing to produce the best quality beans for a quality cup.

Seven years ago, Dulce wrote her college thesis about coffee exporting and became interested in learning more about her family’s farm. This research sparked her interest in the coffee industry as a whole and instigated her learning about the coffee value chain. She is the first woman in her family to be 100 percent involved in the farm and she works alongside her brother, Alvaro, helping to improve the family business.

Initially, they had a lot to learn about the industry. Dulce and Alvaro had prior experience in commercial and legal areas but realized they needed to develop their brand to enter a more competitive market. As a result, they joined forces to create Café Ambrosia. Both wanted to add value to their coffee and decided to enter the roasted coffee market to build upon their family legacy.

The Finca El Pantanal and Café Ambrosia team pride themselves in guaranteeing the traceability of their coffee from the seed to the cup, starting with how they plant and harvest their coffee. With their attention to the benefits of their washing, drying, roasting, and packaging processes, they guarantee a high quality final product.

Now, Café Ambrosia aims to establish a strong coffee culture and help people appreciate the value of Guatemalan coffee, primarily Cuilapa Santa Rosa coffees. In the future, they hope to create opportunities for employment and ultimately provide long-term support in their community.