Roger Ureña Hidalgo, owner of Finca Santa Teresa, and Ricardo Calderón and sons, owners of the Café Don Cayito brand, won first place in the recent edition of the prestigious international Cup of Excellence Coffee 2024 contest.
Being recognized as the best coffee in Costa Rica and ranking among the most outstanding in the world is a significant achievement for the community of Santa Maria de Dota. This coffee-growing community has a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability.
This great recognition not only transforms lives but also boosts tourism and generates employment for the local economy. Café Don Cayito won first place in the category of honeys and naturals. In 1974, on the La Granadilla farm, Ricardo Calderón began his success story by planting his first 300 tall Arabica coffee plants. Since then, his company has grown and won prestigious awards multiple times, including setting a world record price in 2018.
The introduction of varieties such as Geisha has significantly impacted national and international sales and boosted tourism in Santa Maria de Dota. Its success is also measured by the generation of employment, with 200 pickers during harvest time and 30 permanent jobs.
According to owner Ricardo Calderón, in 2009, they embarked on the adventure of processing their own coffee. Winning the Cup of Excellence in 2011 opened the doors to international and national markets.
Meanwhile, Róger Ureña of Finca Santa Teresa won first place in the category of washed coffees. With more than 45 years dedicated to coffee cultivation, he transformed an old dairy into a thriving micro-mill that now processes his entire harvest.
This achievement represents not only a reward for decades of hard work but also a renewed commitment to quality and sustainability in the face of climate change. He also owns Amarinta Cafeteria & Coffee Shop in Santa Maria de Dota.
“This award means a lot to us. It is the result of many years of effort and motivates us to continue improving. It is also a recognition for our entire Dota community, which positions us in the world market and attracts new buyers in search of exceptional coffees,” said Ureña.
This recognition allows them to participate in an electronic auction where the winning coffees from different countries compete. In this auction, high-quality coffee buyers from around the world will seek to offer higher prices for these lots, as the awards function as an international certification of high quality for this product.
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Ileana Fernandez
