Who he is: Fourth-generation coffee farmer who in 2014 decided to stop selling to others and start processing his own coffee. What began as a small natural micro-mill has become one of the most technically rigorous and creative operations in Costa Rica's Los Santos zone, run daily by Martín, his wife Olga, and their children.
Brief history: Don Martín has worked in coffee his entire life, but 2014 marked a turning point — conventional farming wasn't delivering results, so he built La Chumeca from scratch. The micro-mill has five different parcels across Los Santos, each worked separately with full traceability, generating a variety of lots and distinct flavors. Around 25 different lots are processed each year, all monitored by Brix degrees, temperature, and pH to guarantee quality and replicability. The name itself carries meaning: La Chumeca is an Afro-American term used to describe a person with brown skin — widely used by the family's ancestors and almost forgotten today. As most of the family are brown-skinned, Martín named the micro-mill in their honor, choosing Chumeca as a tribute to a beloved aunt who was always called that.
What makes him singular:
- A family operation with deep roots and a scientific approach: every process is monitored and fully traceable, lot by lot, parcel by parcel — with 16 stainless steel fermenters, 71 African raised beds, and a cupping laboratory where every experiment is tested year after year.
- Five parcels across Los Santos at altitudes between 1,300 and 2,000 masl — each worked separately, each with its own identity and flavor profile.
- A name and a story with meaning: La Chumeca is family memory, identity, and pride — a tribute to an aunt and to a term almost forgotten by a new generation.
Shared values with Belco:
- Precision and passion in equal measure — every lot is monitored scientifically but always driven by love for the craft.
- Full traceability and transparency: each parcel worked separately, every lot fully documented and replicable.
- Environmental commitment: Rainforest Alliance and regenerative agriculture certifications across both farms.
Process detail: The Capulinero process was developed in 2018 at La Chumeca. Cherry must reach 24–28 Brix degrees before harvest. It then undergoes a first anaerobic fermentation (pH 4.0, 18°C) until optimal pH and Brix are reached. The coffee is then moved to plastic bags for a natural oxidation phase (35–40°C). Once the right temperature is achieved, it goes back into stainless steel fermenters for a final anaerobic fermentation (pH 3.7, 18°C). Finally, it is moved to African raised beds for 20 days of solar drying, followed by 40 days of rest.
