Gloria Ortega

From a young age, Gloria worked as a coffee picker, eventually marrying Alberto at 18. Together, they managed farms and later purchased El Progreso, though challenges, including poor management decisions, financial strain, and the pandemic, led to setbacks and the breakdown of their relationship. Gloria and her children ultimately returned to the farm to rebuild from scratch.

With resilience, they constructed a modest home, reorganized as a family, and revived the farm. They replanted with Pink Bourbon and restored existing Caturra, transitioning toward specialty coffee with guidance from local producers. Through determination and continuous learning, Gloria transformed hardship into a new beginning, laying the foundation for a more sustainable and quality-focused coffee operation.

About the process: 

Cherries are harvested every three weeks, allowing the plants a two-week rest period. After harvest, they are fermented for 24 hours and pulped the following day. The beans then undergo a second, dry fermentation in tiled (majolica) tanks for 48 hours. Once washed, they are drained for approximately three hours before being dried over 15 to 20 days.