Mexican Coffee - a Bright and Lively Cup
Coffee-Direct’s Mexican Coffee is a smooth, full-bodied cup, with a buttery mouthfeel and fine acidity; it reveals subtle flavours of chocolate, malt, and nuts and has a delicious spicy aftertaste. This medium roast coffee is sourced from the coastal region of Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, that lies close to the Guatemalan border. In this lush area of pine forests and tropical rainforests, coffee grows in the cool, higher altitudes, where rich volcanic soil and ample rainfall help to create the perfect conditions for growing high quality coffee.
Coffee production in Mexico has seen its ups and downs since the late 18th century, when coffee is first thought to have been introduced by Spanish settlers from the Antilles. Arabica seedlings were planted in Veracruz, which is today one of the three main growing regions, along with Oaxaca and Chiapas. Land registration laws in Mexico in the 1860s made it possible for rich Europeans to buy land for coffee production. The indigenous people were initially forced out of the area, but after a time many returned to work on coffee farms in the places they once lived. In 1914, new laws were introduced to redistribute land to the indigenous people, and by the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1920, coffee was being produced on many smallholder farms. The Mexican Coffee Institute (INMECAFE) was set up in 1973 by the government to offer financial and technical help to coffee farmers, and cooperate with the International Coffee Agreement in respect of production quotas. A sharp increase in coffee production followed, but then a gradual decline, as financial pressures forced the government to prioritise more lucrative exports, such as minerals. In 1989, INMECAFE was dissolved, to the detriment of many smallholder farmers. However, over the years many cooperatives have been formed and production has steadily increased, as well as a growing emphasis on ethically sourced and organic coffee production.
Today, Mexico produces a substantial amount of coffee, with a wide range of flavour profiles, from light bodied coffees with delicate flavours to more robust varieties with rich caramel and toffee notes. Mexican Coffee is just one of the fabulous range of coffees from the Americas that Coffee-Direct can roast to order and deliver to your door. It is suitable for bean-to-cup, cafetière, espresso and filter machines.