Farm: El Vergel

Producers: Elias & Shady Bayter 

Region: Tolima 

Elevation: 1350 meters

Cultivar: Red & Yellow Caturra 

Process: Anaerobic Natural

Notes: Lychee, Guava, Pink Lemonade, Tart Cherry 

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El Vergel isn’t just a coffee farm; it’s a story of reinvention. What began as an avocado farm pivoted toward coffee excellence when the Bayter family took a leap in 2006. Since then, they’ve become leaders in experimental processing (including their famous Koji fermentation method), turning the estate into a hub for innovation and community.

Each year, El Vergel’s Red & Yellow Caturra “Guava Banana” blows us away and we’re proud to offer this flagship lot from the Bayter family for the third time. Grown on a microlot nestled beside the estate's washing station and shaded by Guanabana trees, this coffee lives up to its nickname (and inside joke), Guava Banana. It's a fruit-forward cup that’s become one of the estate’s most consistent, expressive, and experimental offerings.

Planted in 2016 and 2018, this 40,000 plant lot is the heart of El Vergel’s innovation, where Elías and Shady Bayter push boundaries with fermentation and processing. This particular lot undergoes a 48 to 60-hour anaerobic fermentation, followed by a careful combination of sun and mechanical drying to lock in flavor. After a 45 day stabilization in GrainPro bags, the result is a coffee bursting with notes of guava, lychee, cherry, and citrus; rounded out with sparkling acidity.

Guava Banana delivers consistently complex and juicy cups, packed with tropical flavor. It's a reflection of El Vergel’s dedication to quality, innovation, and community and we’re thrilled to be able to share this year’s harvest with you. 

Region: Comayagua 

Elevation 1650 meters 

Cultivar: Parainema, Lempira

Process: Anaerobic Natural 

Notes: Passion fruit, Wild Raspberry, Violet

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At just 25 years old, Lila Doris Fúnez Rodríguez represents a new generation of Honduran coffee producers, blending family tradition with innovation. Raised in a coffee-growing family in San Sebastián, Comayagua, she learned from an early age that coffee is more than a crop; it is a way of life built on dedication, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Inspired by her brother Ariel, Lila joined her parents and siblings in founding Coffee Fúnez, a family association dedicated to producing exceptional specialty coffee while protecting the environment.

Lila's pride and joy is Finca Los Pinos, a one-hectare farm located at 2,100 meters above sea level. Benefiting from the unique microclimates of the Comayagua highlands, the farm is planted with Parainema, Pacamara, Lempira, and Typica beneath the shade of native trees that promote biodiversity and healthy soils. She relies on organic fertilizers made from composted coffee pulp and animal by-products, while carefully managing every stage of processing and drying. The result is a collection of washed, honey, natural, and anaerobic natural coffees that consistently score between 86 and 88 points.

Over the past two harvests, Lila has continued investing in both quality and sustainability. She expanded her knowledge of processing techniques with a particular focus on anaerobic naturals, implemented soil analysis and targeted fertilization, completed coffee cupping training to strengthen quality control, and improved canopy management, shade regulation, and processing infrastructure. She has also introduced new coffee varieties, helping prepare the farm for future harvests while maintaining the family's commitment to environmentally responsible production.

The 2025–2026 harvest brought both successes and challenges. Despite labor shortages, difficult drying conditions, and rising production costs, Lila and her family adapted by building temporary housing for seasonal workers and relocating coffee to drier areas during processing to preserve quality. Their hard work paid off with increased exports while maintaining the consistency and cup quality that define Coffee Fúnez.

Although production remains relatively small, Lila is focused on building lasting relationships with roasters who value transparency, craftsmanship, and long-term partnerships. Looking ahead, she hopes to expand production with additional specialty varieties, continue growing exports, and one day compete in the Cup of Excellence Honduras. Every coffee from Finca Los Pinos reflects her family's shared vision, resilience, and dedication to producing exceptional Honduran coffee.

Producers: Smallholder Farmers. SNAP Specialty Coffee

Region: Yirgacheffe

Elevation: 2,200 meters

Cultivar: Heirloom Korume & Wolisho

Process: Washed

Notes: Lemoncello, Blackberry, Lilac, Strawberry Shortcake

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This is our third year roasting the washed Chelbesa One lot from the washing station that shares its name. It is located in the Gedeb Zone of Yirgacheffe sitting at 1,950-2,200 meters above sea level. Approximately 1,000 farmers contribute cherry to this washing station. On average, these farmers have 2-3 hectares of land and grow traditional heirloom varieties of Korume and Wolisho.  

When the farmers deliver their freshly harvested cherries to the washing station, the coffee is floated to remove defective cherries then depulped. This washed lot is unique in that the coffee is allowed to dry ferment for 2-3 days after depulping. Washed coffee usually undergoes a much shorter fermentation in water. The extended dry fermentation increases the tropical fruit and herbaceous flavors in this coffee and adds to its overall intensity and sweetness. It is then dried on raised beds for one to two weeks. 

SNAP Specialty Coffee owns the Chelbesa Washing Station and 7 other wet mills around Ethiopia. SNAP focuses on three pillars of consistency, education, and sustainability. Last year, agronomists from SNAP trained more than 6,000 farmers on land & nursery management and climate smart agriculture that focuses on crop diversification and intercropping.