In Guatemala, you start drinking coffee early on, like as soon as you can walk.

(No worries. My wife, Monica, is very strict about not giving caffeine to our toddler.) 

Coffee is such a huge part of the culture already, so go ahead and add the fact that I grew up on a coffee farm. It’s unreal how much of my life has been about these tiny magic beans. My mom helped me roast and sell my first bag of coffee when I was just a teenager.

My family has been farming coffee for the last 40-something years. My brother owns his own coffee farm, and now I own my own coffee business (named for our mother, Apolonia). It’s really amazing to look back at how far we’ve come. Now we have acres upon acres filled with coffee plants, and a family-run power plant that produces all of the farm's electricity. It's sustainable and renewable!

I love that we are able to give back to our coffee community in Esquipulas in the form of fair wages, a steady stream of orders, and reinvestment in their businesses. Everyone involved in the chain is really excited about what we are doing, from the growers to the coffee drinkers. (The Houston Fire Department is excited, too, since they receive free bags of Apolonia Coffee every month, along with a grinder if they need it.)

When you buy Apolonia Coffee, you support so many different and awesome things. 

As if you needed any more reason to enjoy drinking fresh high-quality premium coffee, right?

Give us a try, send some to your friends and family, and don't forget to rate and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@apoloniacoffee)!

Buen Provecho,
Mario