We’ve been working with Ricardo Perez and his family in Santa Lucia for as long as we’ve been roasting. The harvesting and processing methods at Santa Lucia are precise in that their coffee is divided into micro-lots and carefully separated while the cherries are still on the tree. Ricardo, the owner of Santa Lucia, has a great understanding of the effects that pulping, fermentation and the drying process have on the coffee. His willingness to work closely with buyers, coupled with his skills as a processor, allow him to present incredible coffees. The Perez family has been growing coffee for generations. Like many farmers in the world, making ends meet was difficult work and nearly impossible for a long time. In 2004, Ricardo became one of the founding members of the “Micro-mill revolution” that changed the face of Costa Rican coffee production. In the early 2000s, coffee production was primarily controlled by the cooperatives. This changed once a handful of farmers, such as Ricardo, each put a small mill on their property. They kept their coffee separated and individual farmers were then able to share the unique nuance and flavor from their specific plot. Coffee buyers fell in love and started paying premiums. Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to see the business grow successfully and sustainably as their award winning coffee is shipped across the world.