This month we have a first! Our first ever Roasters Choice coffee from Bolivia and we are extremely excited about this one having had a teaser tasting a few months back. You may remember our only previous coffee from Bolivia was one of our more recent Solitude Espresso components, Uchumachi which is from the same region of Bolivia, La Paz and it certainly challenged us as roasters. This particular lot consists of the Pacamara varietal which is a highly celebrated, premium Arabica coffee varietal known for its exceptionally large beans.

Bolivia & Coffee: With its high altitudes and distinct wet and dry seasons, Bolivia boasts exceptional conditions for growing coffee. Although production volumes are relatively small, the country is capable of producing outstanding-quality beans. Bolivia is roughly four and a half times larger than the United Kingdom, yet it remains sparsely populated, with an estimated population of around 12.7 million people. Coffee production is extremely small-scale. To put it into perspective, the country’s entire annual output is smaller than that of a single large coffee farm in Brazil. Being land locked also poses its challenges with the cost and time of export. In 2022 around 30,000 coffee sacks were produced compared to neighbouring Brazil who produced over 66 million. You will find coffee from Bolivia to have a sweet and clean taste profile.

Coffee was first introduced into Bolivia in the late 18th and early 19th century by Spanish colonists. This was primarily in the Yungas region, a rich and fertile area of the country great for agriculture. The indigenous peoples thus planted coffee in these high altitudes under the direction of the French, but volumes were quite small. It was not until the mid-1900s that the country began to properly grow and produce coffee. Bolivia did not gain independence until 1825, but due to political instability, it was challenging to maintain coffee production for the following century.

Agriculture reforms during the 20th century transformed land ownership in Bolivia, granting newly freed Indigenous communities access to land in Caranavi, a province within the Yungas region. Today, Yungas remains Bolivia’s largest coffee-growing area and the heart of the country’s specialty coffee industry.

As coffee farming expanded, producers began forming cooperatives and industry groups to strengthen the sector. The National Coffee Producers Association (ANPROCA) was established in 1976, followed by the Federation of Coffee Exporters of Bolivia (FECAFEB) in 1991. These organisations played a significant role in supporting farmers and promoting Bolivian coffee internationally.

Coffee production in Bolivia is largely driven by smallholder farmers, with around 85–95% of the country’s coffee grown on farms between one and eight hectares in size. During the 1950s and 1960s, sawmills entered the region and built roads that later became vital for agricultural transportation and trade, helping coffee production expand rapidly.

By 1990, Bolivian coffee production had reached its peak. Much of this growth was supported by USAID initiatives aimed at encouraging coffee cultivation as an alternative to coca farming. Through these programmes, farmers received training, resources, and infrastructure support to improve both the quality and sustainability of their coffee production.

Despite this progress, Bolivia’s coffee industry has faced significant challenges over the past two decades. Many farmers have gradually abandoned coffee cultivation in favour of coca farming, which often provides a more stable and reliable year-round income. As a result, coffee production in Bolivia has experienced a long-term decline.

There are growing concerns that Bolivia’s exceptional quality coffee could become increasingly rare in the future. However, there is still optimism within the specialty coffee community. Bolivia continues to build a reputation for producing premium-quality coffees with unique flavour profiles, and many producers remain committed to preserving and developing the country’s coffee heritage.

Our coffee broker Mercanta and their exporting partner in Bolivia, Atoq began working with Bolivian producers in 2022. Atoq Coffee is a specialty coffee brand and organization founded in Bolivia in 2019, dedicated to bringing premium Bolivian coffee to international markets while supporting smallholder farmers. Through their work, they have helped get producers recognized internationally in addition to setting up a roastery in Bolivia. Although the political unrest in 2008 led to some disruptions in the coffee sector, there has been a remarkable resurgence since 2019, driven primarily by rising local coffee consumption. This renewed interest in coffee production has been beneficial for all coffee-growing regions in Bolivia, attracting new generations of producers eager to revitalize the industry.

More about this lot: This specific lot comes from various producers in associated with APROCAFE, which was founded back in 2000, with just 35 producers. The cooperative sought to improve revenue for producers and assisted them with organic and Fair Trade certifications in the early 2000s. The producers in this cooperative come from different parts of Caranavi, the majority being in the communities of Uchumachi and Calama, both being less than 10km apart. They have basic techniques and washing stations that support their small farms. This specific lot comes only from Calama and is comprised of the Pacamara varietal.

Atoq began working with these producers back in 2023 and have since established some meaningful relationships with the producers throughout Calama, featuring the coffee at the Atoq roastery in Cochabamba. The producers within the cooperative are very joyful people who truly embrace their passion for coffee. They are always happy to receive visits, and their commitment to the organization is evident in the work they put in towards their coffee.

There are various struggles for coffee producers here, including lack of support from the government, low local consumption, and poor infrastructure. Yet, as local consumption increases, more attention is being given to these coffee-producing regions, with hopes of improving roads and offering financial assistance. Climate change is also a serious threat for this region; some research predicts that production will drop by 15% due to the heavy rains.

Harvest typically occurs from April – August and is done by hand once the cherries reach peak ripeness. They are delivered to each producer’s wet mill, located onsite, to be submerged in tanks of water, where floaters or underripe cherries are removed. The cherries are then de-pulped via machine and then fermented in open fermentation tanks for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, the coffee is rushed through channels of water to clean away any remaining mucilage. This is done with wooden paddles; the water being changed multiple times to ensure the coffee is completely cleaned. Producers will then disperse the coffee on raised beds in greenhouses to dry for 5 – 10 days depending on the climate.

Looking to the future, Atoq is collaborating with the World Conservation Society (WCS) to implement a sustainable coffee cultivation model that has already been successfully applied in a region in northern Bolivia. This model focuses on preserving the natural state of the forest and its habitat, using coffee as a tool to achieve this balance. Currently, Atoq are implementing this approach in the Cochabamba region, and if successful, they may consider expanding it to other regions where they work with producers, such as Uchumachi. They are also pushing producers to adopt more agroforestry practices to grow coffee under a diverse shade of native trees. Additionally, they are working to educate producers on dry processing to reduce water usage.

What to expect in the cup: This coffee is wholesome, well-rounded, and packed with layers of sweetness. It opens with a rich, complex burst of deep orange flavour, reminiscent of a concentrated orange cordial. The vibrant citrus notes gradually soften and evolve into a smooth, sugary cola sweetness. As the cup cools, delicate hints of maple syrup emerge, leaving a gentle warmth that lingers pleasantly on the palate. Wonderfully comforting and exceptionally easy to drink, this is a coffee you’ll find difficult to put down.

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