From the fertile lands of Nicaragua comes a story of determination, passion, and change that is transforming the specialty coffee industry. Ben, passionate about coffee and social justice, shares his inspiring journey from student to coffee innovator.
It all started when Ben traveled to Nicaragua to complete his thesis.
During his stay, he lived with local producers in humble houses made of plastic and earth, and learned firsthand the challenges of the coffee industry. In the bustling local markets, where coffee was sold alongside pigs, Ben discovered how middlemen dominated the trade, leaving producers without a decent income.
The situation was discouraging for coffee producers
Farmers couldn't make a living growing coffee, so many sold their farms. It was then that Ben decided to buy a farm with 12 manzanas of coffee and 6.3 manzanas of forest, home to sloths and toucans. However, he soon faced new challenges. The cooperative he partnered with was rife with corruption, and the producers were barely able to survive.
With a clear vision and a deep sense of responsibility, Ben restarted a group of Nicaragua's finest coffee producers. His goal: to enable farmers to sell their coffee at a fair price directly to roasters. It was an arduous path, filled with phone calls at all hours of the day and night, but they finally managed to export their first container of microlots without the intervention of large importers.
Today, Gold Mountain , the group of producers led by Ben, exports high-quality coffee to the United States and Europe. Each bean is the result of hard work, innovative techniques, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability. Gold Mountain coffees exceed 86 points, winning medals and numerous awards each year.
The story of Ben and Gold Mountain is a testament to how passion and perseverance can change the world. When you enjoy a cup of our coffee, you feel the love, dedication, and hard work of so many people who work tirelessly to bring you an extraordinary product.
For this reason, and after Ben visited our coffee roaster, we've decided that our Nicaraguan coffees will always be from Gold Mountain —for their history, their purpose, their support for farmers earning a living wage, the quality of their coffee beans, and their care for the environment. All these factors make Gold Mountain coffee exceptional.