Las Lajas 

Producer and Farm Background The producer is Oscar Chacón Solano, and the farm is named Las Lajas. In 1988, following the death of Oscar’s father, his legacy of 50 hectares of land was divided among his six children. From that point on, the Chacón siblings decided to change their coffee production system, focusing on environmental conservation, providing stable employment for their workers, and preserving coffee culture within their family and community. Third-Generation Innovation In the early 2000s, Oscar Chacón and Francisca Cubillo, representing the third generation of coffee producers in their family, began processing coffee from their own farms, giving rise to Las Lajas Ecological Benefit. From the outset, they pursued excellence while offering a differentiated product in the coffee market. In 2006, following an earthquake that left the Sabanilla area without electricity and water, they introduced the natural process, as traditional washed processing was not possible. Today, Las Lajas exports around 2,700 sacks annually. Location and Farm Details The farm is located in Sabanilla de Alajuela, Costa Rica (Google Maps Plus Code: 3QJG+QX5). All coffee processed by Las Lajas is produced by the Chacón family. Size: ~100 hectares Average yield: 30 fanegas per hectare Altitude: 1,500–1,700 masl Varieties: Mostly Caturra–Catuai; recent renovations have diversified varieties Soil: Volcanic, contributing to high-quality crops Harvest season: December to February Agroforestry and Sustainability A variety of shade tree species are cultivated, predominantly legumes that absorb atmospheric nitrogen and transfer it to the soil. Other native species, such as bananas, plantains, and oranges, are grown for family consumption. Fertilisation: Primarily organic (compost from coffee pulp and nearby mill waste), supplemented with lime and minerals like K-Mag (potassium, magnesium, sulfur) Renewal system: 20% annual renewal, including pruning and replanting worn-out plots Shade trees: Average of 50 trees per hectare Harvesting and Processing Harvesting is manual, selecting only 100% ripe cherries with high Brix content. Harvesting occurs daily from December through February. At the mill: 1. Lots are separated by variety and farm, producing speciality micro lots. 2. Coffee is transported to the Las Lajas mill, measured by volume, and separated for processing 3. After processing, coffee is dried to 11% moisture content, packed in new bags, labelled by lot, and rested in the warehouse for ~60 days before export Challenges and Innovations The farm has faced challenges due to labour shortages caused by generational change and the migration of agricultural workers. High production costs in Costa Rica also put local growers at risk. The Chacón family has observed that planting more leguminous shade trees improves cup quality and aims to increase their number further. Signature Coffee – Perla Negra Micro Lot One of their signature coffees is the Perla Negra micro lot, a natural process in which ripe red cherries are placed on the drying patio for slow dehydration. Cherries are moved only twice a day, resulting in a gradual drying process that takes around 22–30 days to complete.