El Salvador, despite its small size, is a giant of specialty coffee. With 6 regions protected by Denomination of Origin recognized by the European Union and unique varieties developed on its soil, Salvadoran coffee ranks among the best in the world.
☕ History of Coffee in El Salvador
Origins (1740-1880)
According to the Consejo Salvadoreño del Café and PROCAFE, Coffea Arabica coffee was introduced to El Salvador around 1740, in the western region of the country. It came from Africa, possibly via the island of Martinique which distributed coffee to the Caribbean and Central America.
For over a century, coffee remained a domestic consumption product. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that its commercial potential was recognized. Captain General Gerardo Barrios was the first president to see coffee's economic value and promote its cultivation on his property near Ciudad Barrios.
The Golden Age (1880-1980)
By 1880, coffee had become the main export product, replacing añil (indigo) whose demand had dropped with the invention of chemical dyes. El Salvador was then the 4th largest producer worldwide.
Key dates according to the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería:
- 1910: El Salvador becomes the #1 coffee exporter in Central America
- 1930-1940: Production boom thanks to technical advances
- 1940: Coffee represents 90% of exports
- 1950-1970: Technological modernization, introduction of new varieties
- 1970s: El Salvador = 4th world exporter with nearly 5 million quintals
Impact on National Development
Coffee revenues financed major infrastructure still visible today:
- Hospital Rosales
- Teatro Nacional de Santa Ana
- Palacio Nacional
- Electrification of San Salvador
- Paving of capital city streets
Challenges and Renaissance (1980-today)
The civil war (1980-1992), international price crisis and the roya epidemic (2012-2013) severely hit the sector. Production dropped to 650,896 quintals in 2013, the lowest in 25 years.
Today, the government invests in the Plan Maestro de Rescate Agropecuario with $637.5 million dedicated to coffee farming, including the creation of the Instituto Salvadoreño del Café (ISC).
🗺️ The 6 Coffee Regions with Denomination of Origin
El Salvador has 6 regions protected by Denomination of Origin, all recognized by the European Union since 2022. Here are their characteristics according to the official ISC:
1. Apaneca-Ilamatepec
The largest region, representing 53% of national production.
- Altitude: from 900 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: Ahuachapán (Apaneca, Ataco, Tacuba), Sonsonate (Juayúa, Nahuizalco, Izalco), Santa Ana
- Area: approximately 70,000 hectares
- Particularity: First registered DO (2010), UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- Dominant varieties: Bourbon (64%), Pacas (26%), Pacamara
2. Bálsamo-Quezaltepec
- Altitude: from 800 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: La Libertad (Santa Tecla, Colón, Antiguo Cuscatlán, Jayaque, Comasagua), San Salvador, Sonsonate
- Particularity: Close to the capital, easily accessible
3. Alotepec-Metapán
- Altitude: from 1,000 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: Chalatenango (La Palma, San Ignacio, Citalá), Santa Ana (Metapán)
- Particularity: High altitude region, excellent for Pacamara
4. Chinchotepec
- Altitude: from 800 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: San Vicente, La Paz, Usulután
- Particularity: Around Chinchontepec volcano (San Vicente)
5. Tecapa-Chinameca
- Altitude: from 900 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: Usulután (Berlín, Alegría, Santiago de María), San Miguel (Chinameca)
- Particularity: Eastern zone, coffees with distinct profiles
6. Cacahuatique
- Altitude: from 900 m.a.s.l.
- Departments: Morazán (Perquín, Arambala, Joateca), San Miguel (Ciudad Barrios)
- Particularity: Historical birthplace of coffee with Gerardo Barrios
🌱 Salvadoran Coffee Varieties
Bourbon
The most cultivated variety, representing over 60% of production according to the International Coffee Organization. Introduced in the mid-20th century, it offers a balanced profile with chocolate notes and mild acidity.
Pacas (1949)
A natural mutation of Bourbon discovered in 1949 on a finca of the Pacas family in Santa Ana. This variety is unique in the world and originated in El Salvador.
Characteristics:
- Shorter and more compact tree than Bourbon
- Dense foliage resistant to difficult conditions
- Excellent disease resistance
- Higher production per tree
- Exceptional cup quality
Pacamara (1958-1992)
Salvadoran pride! Pacamara is a hybrid entirely developed in El Salvador by the Instituto Salvadoreño de Investigaciones del Café (ISIC).
- Parents: Pacas × Maragogipe Rojo
- Research: Started in 1958
- First release: 1980
- Commercial launch: 1992
Pacamara is globally recognized for its exceptional aromatic complexity. It has won 14 Cup of Excellence competitions with scores between 90 and 93.52 points, obtaining the title of "Presidential Coffee" several times.
Other varieties
- Tekisic (improved Bourbon): Selection started in 1949, commercialized in 1976. Its name combines "Tekiti" (work in Náhuat) and ISIC.
- Cuscatleco: Local variety adapted to Salvadoran conditions
- Catuaí: Imported, well adapted to medium altitudes
- Catimor: Roya resistant
- Geisha: Cultivated in certain premium fincas
📊 Classifications by Altitude
Salvadoran coffee is classified according to three altitude zones:
- Central Standard (Bajío) - 400-800m: Light body, mild acidity
- Central Altura (Media) - 800-1,200m: Balanced, fruity notes
- Strictly High Grown - SHG (Altura) - 1,200-1,600m: Complex, bright acidity, full body
🏆 Quality and International Recognition
Gourmet Standards
The Consejo Salvadoreño del Café has established strict standards for gourmet certification:
- Hand cleaning
- Fresh water processing
- Harvest of ripe cherries only (tinto)
- 0% defective beans
- Average 12% humidity
- Size above screen 16
Cup of Excellence
El Salvador participates annually in the Cup of Excellence, the most prestigious specialty coffee competition. In 2003, a Salvadoran became the first world barista champion from a producing country (Bogotá, Colombia).
Cup Profile
Salvadoran coffee is recognized for:
- Pronounced sweetness
- Medium to full body
- Balanced and bright acidity
- Notes of chocolate, caramel, honey, citrus
- Floral and fruity aromas depending on varieties
🌿 Environmental Impact
Salvadoran coffee farming plays a crucial ecological role:
- 7% of national territory covered by coffee forest
- Shade-grown cultivation preserving biodiversity
- 39,500 hectares in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO)
- Water resource generation
- Carbon capture
- Mesoamerican biological corridor
📈 The Sector Today
Official figures from MAG and ISC:
- 24,500 registered producers (61% men, 34% women)
- 200,000 manzanas of coffee park (~141,000 hectares)
- 25,000 direct jobs
- Annual production: approximately 850,000 quintals
- Domestic consumption: 2.8 kg per capita (among the highest in Latin America)
- Main export markets: United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain
☕ Where to Taste Salvadoran Coffee
For an authentic experience:
- Ruta de las Flores: Visit fincas in Apaneca, Ataco and Juayúa
- Santa Ana: Finca tours with tasting
- San Salvador: Specialty cafés with local beans
- Alegría and Berlín: Tecapa-Chinameca region
Salvadoran coffee is more than a beverage: it's the history of a nation, the work of generations of passionate producers, and a living heritage that each cup allows you to discover.