CaféNor
The CaféNor mill, owned and operated by Alejandro Valiente (and his daughters Monica & Valeria), serves as the central nervous system for the farms surrounding it. CaféNor provides infrastructure for post harvest processing, is the conduit for farm supplies, and gives access to training for the 65 small holders surrounding their mill. All this in addition to operating their own farm, Anarquía, north of Santa Ana, El Salvador.
With a focus on improving production and commercial practices, and reinvesting into their community with participation in social, economic and environmental commitments, the Valiente Family is building a springboard for the surrounding community to grow and thrive in the specialty coffee marketplace. This level of community investment is inspiring, and partnering with a group such as this is a no-brainer for Tenfold.
Alexander Martinez
Typical of Salvadoran families in Metapán, Alexander’s father immigrated to the US very early in his childhood, leaving him with his mother in El Salvador. By 2016, Alexander wanted to immigrate illegally to the US, but at the encouragement of his father, stayed in Metapán to grow coffee on their family’s land. In 2017, Alexander obtained 300 coffee plants by donation through the Trifinio Plan; a socioeconomic development project centered at the convergence of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
In 2019, with the help of CaféNor, Alexander was able to purchase 2000 plants of Orange Bourbon, and 1300 plants of Pacamara for his farm, and in the years since, he has dedicated himself to bringing his farm, “God’s Blessing”, to its highest potential. With an emphasis on sustainability, growth, and quality, Alexander has rededicated himself to his community and has no plans of leaving El Salvador anytime soon.
Harvest Trouble for Alexander
This lot was harvested in early 2024, and unfortunately suffered from coffee leaf rust (“la roya”), after Alexander left his farm unattended to help a fellow producer in El Pinar. This led to nearly half of his total production falling prey to the fungal infection, resulting in much less coffee for him to bring to market.
What was salvaged stood up to tasting and evaluation, and thankfully we were able to commit to purchase 5 bags each of his Orange Bourbon and Pacamara. Alexander’s coffee has been a trademark of our program in El Salvador, and we’re so glad to have his work on offer again in 2025.
Here’s a link to a very informative article on coffee leaf rust!
https://bioprotectionportal.com/resources/coffee-rust-symptoms-causes-and-solutions/
