It's our Birthday, Sweet 16!
16 years ago this week, June 29, 2004, San Lazaro Coffee was born. Our founder, Jarrod Brown, was a very young missionary that for some reason had this crazy idea that gainful employment, specifically for women, would do more to transform a life, now and for eternity, than giving things away.
There are so many great memories driving into the remote jungle village of Las Pitas when the road was hardly a road. Confession, our coffee has come a long ways since our humble beginnings. Honestly, it tasted really really bad back then. We had no idea what we were doing but very nice friends and supporters bought the coffee nonetheless.
And just a while back one of those great friends, gifted me back one of her purchases from way back then! (Evidence that the word was out on the quality back then since she still hadn't used the coffee.). Today it's far more than a group of 20 women roasting poor quality coffee over a fire in a metal drum.
Today, San Lazaro Coffee is 20 women led by their committed leader, our farm manager,Nohelia Hernandez, taking care of a 400 acre piece of land in the La Botija Mountains.
The quality nowadays is exceptional and we're blessed to have great retail partners like YOU!!
As well as our roasting and distribution partners including:
Rob Webb founder of Just Love Coffee Roasters
Ryan O'Rourke, founder of Ironclad Coffee Roasters
Jason Pearl founder of Roasted Pearl Coffee
Matt Holley from Mugs Coffeehouse
Scarlett Rea Lyons founder of Lyon's Coffee Roasters
KeHE Food Distributors and the KeHE Cares Foundation
Carson Parodi from Mill47 Coffee,
Erin McAtee founder of E&B Coffee Roasters
Roberto Barr founder of OpDeployed
Together we are partnering to cultivate dignity and purpose now and for eternity on a remote mountain top, through a coffee farm!
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Also in San Lázaro Coffee Blog
Rooted in Dreams: A Young Woman’s Path to Change
Mayela, a 17-year-old from a small village surrounded by green mountains, lives with her grandfather. God has gifted her with a heart full of dreams and a deep passion for nature. Her educational journey began at Lazarus Academy, where she not only gained theoretical knowledge but also developed values that shaped her as a person. Upon graduating high school, Mayela knew her story was just beginning. She decided to enroll in a forestry program, determined to help preserve the environment of her beloved homeland.
Honoring Sister Karla
At 24 years old there were not many opportunities for Karla. She was newly married and had a young daughter. The rugged rural mountains where she had grown up and lived in her entire life hadn’t afforded much. In particular she didn’t have the opportunity to continue learning in high school. But what she did learn was how to work. Both Karla and her husband were committed to helping their young family get ahead. He farmed and she worked anywhere she could, often picking tomatoes or peppers for farmers in the region. The days were long, the pay was bad, and the treatment was worse.
Mary Paul
July 25, 2020
I enjoyed reading your stories today. I brought a pound of your coffee and I’m eager to try it. Dios te bendiga! Thank you from Redding, California, USA