Country: Nicaragua
Region: Finca Bethania, Nueva Segovia
Process: Washed
Varietal: Catuai
Altitude: 1,200-1,500 metres above sea level
 
This excellent coffee comes from Bethania and Hortensia, two neighbouring farms in the mountains of Nueva Segovia, northern Nicaragua. The farms are owned and run by sisters Martha and Ana Alvir, who returned to Nicaragua after time abroad to take on their father’s land and rebuild it around quality coffee… taking them on was a way to reconnect with family, their region, and the culture they grew up in.
 
They soon opened a processing mill to handle their own coffee as well as support other growers nearby. The mill employs seven full- time staff year-round and up to sixty during harvest, creating stable work in a region where opportunities can be limited. Their focus is on improving quality while keeping value in the local community.
 
Over the past decade, they’ve steadily replanted the farms with varieties such as Catuai, Maracaturra, Gesha and Java, moving away from a yield-first approach and towards careful cultivation at altitude.
 
Nueva Segovia sits close to the Honduran border, with steep terrain, cool nights, and volcanic soils. Coffee here tends to be grown on smaller farms, under shade, and with close attention to detail. Bethania and Hortensia are part of this landscape: small-scale, hands-on, and focused on quality. 
 
 
Many thanks to Martha and Ana Alvir, and Omwani for allowing me to use their excellent images