What inspired you to start your business, and how did your signature product come to be?
Exótico Coffee was born from a desire to share a piece of our heritage with the community we now call home. My husband and I both grew up on coffee farms in Guatemala, surrounded by a culture where coffee was more than a crop, it was a way of life. We both come from four generations of coffee farmers and coffee machinery builders, so coffee has always been deeply woven into our lives.
What makes your products unique, and what ingredients, techniques, or traditions are especially important to how you make them?
We don't just source our coffee, we grow it. Every coffee we offer comes directly from our family farm in Guatemala, giving us complete traceability and stewardship over every stage of its journey, from the seed in the nursery to the cup in your hands.
Our coffee is grown on the slopes of two of Guatemala's most iconic volcanoes: Acatenango and the active Volcán de Fuego.
Every coffee cherry is picked entirely by hand, and only when it has reached peak ripeness.
What do you enjoy most about sharing your products at local farmers markets and connecting directly with the community?
One of the most rewarding parts of being at local farmers markets is seeing curiosity turn into appreciation. Many people stop by simply looking for a cup of coffee, but they leave having learned something new about where coffee comes from, how it's grown, or why one varietal tastes different from another.
Coffee is deeply ingrained in our culture. Bringing it to West Austin feels like bringing a piece of home with us and sharing that culture with our community.
Learn more about Exótico Coffee, its single-origin microlots and upcoming markets at Exotico.Coffee.