Tradition
Generations of producers dedicated to perfecting the art of coffee, with over 200 years in the market.
Costa Rican coffee is recognized worldwide for its quality and wide range of exotic flavors. With a 200-year history of coffee production, Costa Rica is known for its Arabica beans. 80% of national production is grown in eight distinct regions, enriching the coffee with unique sensory attributes.
Quality and sustainability in production processes result in special roasts characterized by exotic aromas and flavors on the palate.
Discover why Costa Rica’s coffee is considered a unique experience.
In the last five years, a large number of micro-lots and micro-mills have emerged, increasing the variety of coffee production processes.
Costa Rica contributes 0.035% of coffee for global consumption with more than 70 roasting companies.
The quality of Costa Rican coffee is recognized worldwide and celebrated in the prestigious annual Cup of Excellence competition.
Costa Rica boasts eight renowned coffee regions that provide a unique flavor to each coffee.
Dark, medium and light roasts are available to satisfy the palates of consumers worldwide.
Why Costa Rican coffee?
In addition to presenting quality, innovation and diversity to the world, our offer is backed by the world’s best promoter of foreign trade, PROCOMER, the entity responsible for promoting the export of Costa Rican goods and services worldwide. Our objective is to support companies in their search for lasting business relationships with potential buyers looking to supply a demand, as well as to streamline and facilitate export procedures.
Production Areas
Costa Rica has several coffee-growing regions, each with unique characteristics that contribute to the richness and variety of coffee. Learn about the main production areas and discover the hallmark of each:
The Guanacaste region, which includes mountainous areas of Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Alajuela, produces coffee on small farms with annual harvests of 50,000 to 70,000 quintals. This Arabica bean, mainly of the Caturra and Catuaí varieties, is grown under forest shade, favoring sustainability. The fertile volcanic soils and climate with well-defined seasons ensure the high quality of every harvest.
The Western Valley of Alajuela, encompassing San Ramón, Palmares, Naranjo, Grecia, Atenas, Valverde Vega and Alfaro Ruiz, boasts a pleasant climate with well-defined seasons. With volcanic soils and diverse microclimates, the region produces between 400,000 and 600,000 quintals of Arabica coffee (Caturra and Catuaí) annually on 22,000 hectares. The production is characterized by the varieties Hard Bean, Good Hard Bean and Strictly Hard Bean (HB, GHB, SHB, respectively). Producers are committed to sustainable agricultural practices and high-quality coffee, ensuring a drink of excellence.
The Central Valley, comprised of San José, Heredia and Alajuela, is the birthplace of Costa Rican coffee. With altitudes ranging between 900 and 1,600 meters, the area’s Arabica beans are characterized by their acidity and delicate aroma. Influenced by the Pacific Slope, the coffee benefits from well-defined wet and dry seasons. Moreover, the volcanic soils, rich in organic matter, give flavor to an excellent quality of coffee known for its vigorous taste and flavor.
Located a few kilometers east of San José, Tres Ríos produces a gourmet coffee known as the Bordeaux of Costa Rica. Grown at altitudes of between 1,200 and 1,650 meters, the Strictly Hard Beans (SHB) benefit from volcanic soils rich in organic matter. The well-defined wet and dry seasons, along with the influence of the Irazú Volcano, ensure superior quality and consistency in every harvest.
The Turrialba region, which lies northeast of the volcano of the same name, emerged as a coffee-growing area with the opening of the railway to the Atlantic in the nineteenth century. Under the presidency of Braulio Carrillo, coffee plantations were incentivized, benefiting from volcanic and alluvial soils. On 8,500 hectares, including the canton of Jiménez, Caturra and Red Catuaí varieties are grown under the shade of leguminous and timber trees. Combined with sugarcane crops and pastures, the area stands out for its diversity and sustainability.
Orosi, one of Costa Rica’s oldest regions, stands out for its 100 plus-year coffee tradition. Located in a valley 40 km from San José, it produces coffee on farms at altitudes of 1,000 to 1,400 meters. Its highly fertile volcanic soils, combined with a climate influenced by the Atlantic and Pacific Slopes, ensure high quality. Biological reserves and National Parks protect the environment, maintaining ideal climate conditions for coffee production.
Known worldwide for its soft, sweet and fruity notes, here the coffee is grown at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,900 meters. This region produces 650,000 quintals per year of Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) Arabica coffee on small farms averaging 2.5 hectares in size. Climate conditions and acidic soils, along with traditional shade-growing techniques, ensure high-quality production.
The Brunca region in southern Costa Rica encompasses the cantons of Coto Brus, Buenos Aires and Pérez Zeledón. At altitudes ranging from 800 and 1,700 masl and an average temperature of 22°C, Pérez Zeledón produces coffee in a wide range of microclimates. The 12,000 hectares of production, spread across 4,200 farms, ensure an equitable distribution of resources. Coto Brus, with its coffee-based economy, boasts 2,600 producers and 75 communities, leveraging its altitude and humidity.
Values of Costa Rican Coffee
Costa Rican coffee is distinguished not only by its exceptional taste, but also by the values it represents:
Trust
Direct, transparent relationships between producers and buyers.
Sustainability
Commitment to eco-friendly agricultural practices.
Traceability
Guarantee of origin and quality from plant to cup.
Social management
Initiatives that promote the well-being of coffee-growing communities.
Innovation
Continuous improvement and diversification in production processes.
Costa Rica,
your business ally
USD $351 million
of coffee exports in 2023.
Costa Rica ranked among the top Latin American coffee suppliers for specialty markets in 2023:
#3
LATAM provider for Switzerland
#6
LATAM supplier for Germany and South Korea
#7
LATAM supplier for the United States and Japan
#8
LATAM supplier for Italy, UK and Canada
International events
We participate actively in the top international events and fairs with our high-quality coffee, promoting the quality and diversity of Costa Rican coffee:
How does it work?
01
Contact us by phone, in person or by video conference with any questions you may have.
02
Share your request with our Directors of Commercial Promotion.
03
Discover more about the offer: learn about the sustainable, quality supply produced by Costa Rican producers.
04
Start negotiating: receive fresh products from Costa Rica directly in your country.
