FOR: Espresso & Filter

SCA SCORE : 88

MOKLAIR RANKING : Grand Cru

TRACABILITE : Vamay Coffee, Alto El Vapor, Delfina Porras Solis, Tarrazu, Costa Rica
Alt 1600m

PROFIL AROMATIQUE : Abricot rôti, pralin, framboise et une pointe de cidre

CORPS : Rond et vibrant

ACIDITE : Light to Medium

PROCESS : Natural + Extended Drying

VARIETE : Catuai

Vamay Coffee: A Family Business Committed to Sustainable Coffee

Vamay Coffee is a family-run business based in Santa María de Dota, Costa Rica, a region world-renowned for its exceptional coffee quality. Founded in March 2020, during the COVID crisis, it is led by Doña Mayra, alongside her son and two daughters. Together, they are dedicated to producing outstanding coffee while providing each customer with a memorable experience. With a strong focus on creating added value, their goal is to ensure fairer and more equitable opportunities in both national and international coffee markets.

An Eco-Friendly Production

As a micro-enterprise committed to social and environmental well-being, Vamay Coffee is built on the belief that all food and beverage production should be sustainable. Their coffee is grown on Finca Alto el Vapor, where 90% of the land is protected. The farm also hosts natural springs that supply water to parts of the Santa María de Dota community, further reinforcing the family’s commitment to natural resource preservation.
The coffee trees thrive at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,100 meters, making Vamay Coffee a true high-altitude coffee. This combination of unique growing conditions, along with strict traceability, ensures excellence, dedication, and care in every bean.

Living in a rural environment, the family integrates sustainable development practices at Finca Alto el Vapor. While their primary goal remains the production of specialty coffee—both green and roasted for the local market—they also cultivate a variety of intercropped plants alongside the coffee trees: citrus fruits, bananas, root vegetables, and leafy greens. This diversification helps prevent monoculture and promotes a circular economy. The latest harvest, completed in February 2024, underwent fermentation for 48 hours on a patio under a thick cover before being dried on raised beds for 15 days, reaching a moisture content of 11%.

Commitment to Equality and Community Development

Mayra and her daughter Dalila take part in learning groups organized by Bean Voyage, a feminist nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women coffee producers and reducing gender inequalities in farming communities. Delfina, the second daughter, works as a Care Facilitator for Bean Voyage, further strengthening community connections.

Bean Voyage supports 120 small-scale women producers in Costa Rica by creating women-only discussion groups, providing a safe space to share experiences and build confidence. The organization offers both in-person and online training, utilizing advanced technologies to track progress and assess learning outcomes.
A significant part of the program focuses on biodiversity conservation and environmental management, ensuring that coffee production aligns with local ecosystems. Each producer receives at least 80 hours of training, divided into five key modules: farm finances, production, processing, quality analysis, and social issues.

Bean Voyage also facilitates access to markets that value sustainably produced micro-lots, ensuring fair prices for women coffee producers. Thanks to this initiative, farming families typically see their incomes triple (+300%) after joining Bean Voyage, driven by improved coffee quality and better market access.