La Morena: The Women Who Grow the Guatemala in Blend 3
Some coffees arrive with a cupping sheet and a price. This one arrived with a story, and I've been wanting to share it since I read it.
The Guatemalan coffee in our Blend 3 is called La Morena. It's grown by women.
La Morena was set up by Volcafe, the green coffee company we buy through, to back women coffee farmers across Guatemala. Their coffee is sold under the La Morena name, so the women who grow it get the recognition for their work.
It runs alongside Volcafe Way, Volcafe's farmer support program. Its technicians run workshops on good farming practices and sustainable methods. The training also covers money: running the farm as a business and making the most of what they have.
The aim is simple. Better coffee, bigger harvests, and a farm that pays its way.
It's growing
La Morena has grown every season since it started:
- 2023–24: 1,502 women
- 2024–25: 1,664 women
- 2025–26: 1,796 women
Just under 1,000 of them farm in Huehuetenango, high in the western mountains near the Mexican border. The other 800 or so are in Baja Verapaz, in the centre of the country.
Most are on small plots, three to five hectares on average. Some are much smaller. And more than half are under 45, which tells you a younger generation of women is stepping up to run these farms.
Two of the growers
Gricelda Timotea Martinez farms in San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango. Her farm is 0.77 of a hectare, about the size of a football field. In two seasons she almost doubled what that land produces.
"Inspired by my roots in San Pedro Necta, I began managing my coffee farm to better understand my profits. I've improved yields, reduced costs, and even saved for family emergencies."
Vilma Elizabeth Reyes farms 5.6 hectares in Cubulco, Baja Verapaz. Over the same two seasons her yield more than doubled, and her coffee is now certified.
"Thanks to the support from the technicians, I've made several improvements on my farm. My yields have increased, and I've noticed better quality in my coffee. The training has helped me feel more confident in my work, and I now see coffee farming as something I can grow with and rely on."
That last line is the whole point. A farm you can rely on means you can plan, save and stay.
Keeping kids in school
The program also funds school scholarships for growers' children, aged 6 to 18. Volcafe's donation covers 55 scholarships. Keeping children in school, rather than out picking, is one of the most practical ways to change things for the next generation.
What's in the cup
La Morena is grown at 1,400 to 1,700 metres. It's a mix of Bourbon, Catuai and Caturra, fully washed and dried in the sun.
On its own it's dark chocolate, blackberry, brown sugar and cherry, with a heavy body and gentle acidity. That brown sugar sweetness and weight are exactly why it suits Blend 3.
We pair it with La Lapa from Costa Rica. Together they give Blend 3 its brown sugar, amaretto biscuit and toffee character. It's smooth enough for an after-dinner coffee and works with milk too.
Why it matters to us
We're a small family business in Robe. We can't fix the coffee industry. But we can choose who we buy from, and tell you about it.
When you buy a bag of Blend 3, part of it was grown by women like Gricelda and Vilma. I think that's worth knowing.
Try Blend 3, Café Crema. It's roasted in small batches here in Robe, and shipping is free Australia-wide.
Photos and La Morena program details courtesy of Volcafe.