Guatemala María Romalda
Kicking Off Our Huehuetenango Season with an Award-Winning Microlot
For close to two decades, OZO has partnered with the Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Concepción Huista (CODECH), a cooperative made up of over 450 producer members situated in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes of Huehuetenango. This year we are so proud to once again feature some absolutely incredible Guatemalan coffees from CODECH, and to have the opportunity to highlight some of their most outstanding producers. Our first featured coffee is from María Romalda, whom we have had the privilege of working with for many years and who has placed multiple times in this competition over the years, including earning second place in the 2025 CODECH competition.
This annual competition is hosted at CODECH headquarters in Concepción Huista, where the members of the cooperative have the opportunity to submit their coffee for evaluation by a panel of cuppers. After three days of judging, the top 10 producers are awarded premiums, directly recognizing their dedication and craftsmanship. We have had the privilege of being a part of this competition for many years, and this year's panel included two cuppers from OZO's very own cupping team. María's well-deserved recognition is a testament to her passion and hard work, and we're honored to showcase her award-winning coffee exclusively at OZO for another year in a row.
María Romalda, Concepción Huista
This exceptional coffee, available only to OZO customers, is a celebration of María's skill and the vibrant flavors of her farm. Like many producers at the co-op, María meticulously grows, harvests, and processes her coffee using methods and knowledge passed down for generations, in addition to her own experience. Her farm is about 5/8 of a hectare situated at 1,650 meters above sea level, where she grows an assortment of varieties, including bourbon, caturra, catimor, and pache. After harvesting, the coffee is depulped in a small, gas-powered depulper. Once the depulping process is complete, the coffee is placed in large tubs to ferment until the mucilage is gone, usually about 24 hours. From there, the coffee is washed and soaked in water for another 24 hours, and then laid out on patios to dry. Eventually, it is transported to the dry mill in Guatemala City, where it is prepared for export.
This year, her farm produced a 22-bag harvest that we are featuring here exclusively at OZO. We have been buying María's coffee for many years now, and it seems like every year we find something new to love about it! In the cup, you'll find sweet and creamy notes of nougat and milk chocolate, paired with bright blackberry acidity.
Guatemala María Romalda
A favorite from Huehuetenango is back for the season! María Romalda's lot shines with a bright blackberry acidity and notes of nougat and milk chocolate.