Aprocetu, Costa Rica

The story of APROCETU, It is that of a community that refused to let its coffee industry die. It was born in 2002 with17 coffee growers from the communities of San Rafael, El Pital, El Caite, and La Potenciana, at a time when the coffee price crisis was driving many families to abandon the countryside. Thanks to organization and collective work, today the association brings together 36 producers, who have managed to recover farms, reactivate the local economy and consolidate a high-quality coffee recognized in Costa Rica.

Among its founders stands out, Don Arnoldo, a pioneer who began growing coffee in the 1970s with his father, when the harvest in Turrubares was transported by horse and cart. In 1985, the local residents took a key step by creating the first coffee receivers, improving the harvest and giving visibility to a bean that would soon be distinguished by its excellent cup. Decades later, with the support of local institutions, APROCETU has added modern infrastructure, such as a Agribusiness and Training Center which includes a cupping laboratory and training spaces, strengthening the quality and added value of regional coffee.

The big turning point came in 2009, when they achieved jointly benefit from a community harvest, proving that unity could turn tradition into a sustainable project. Today, APROCETU represents not only a sweet and complex cup, but also a model of rural resilience, where each bean tells the story of families who decided to stay, innovate, and bring the Turrubares name to the world of specialty coffee.

Country - Guatemala
Region - Central Valley
Process - Washed