Las Lajas is a world-renowned micro-mill in Costa Rica’s Central Valley. The Las Lajas Project began in 1840. Until Francisca and Oscar Chacon took over, now third generation coffee farmers, the mill operated in the same manner as every other coffee farm at the time did, picking and producing the greatest amount of coffee possible, which they then sold to transnational companies to export and sell.
The company has been transformed since then by Oscar and Francisca, who have also transformed coffee production and processes around the world.
At Fulcrum, we search for partners and businesses that align with our mission to unite the coffee community through sustainable practices. As entrepreneurs, we serve coffee entrepreneurs and purchase coffee from entrepreneurs. In order to enhance these connections, we aim to combine sustainability, craftsmanship, and experience. Las Lajas Mill is an excellent example of two entrepreneurs we want to share with our Northwest customers.
Oscar and Francisca were married in 1997, and together they began working the 37 acres of land Oscar inherited from his father. The couple made a significant decision in 2006 that changed everything. It was around this time that international demand for specialty coffee started exploding. After noticing, Francisca wondered why it was so uncommon for coffee farmers in Costa Rica to try their own product? Surely they should try their product to improve it? A worldwide price drop was brought about as a result of the push for specialty coffees. Their only way to keep a steady and significant income was to increase the quality and value of their coffee.
Two years later, a devastating earthquake struck the West Valley region. Water and power were unavailable at the mill and many other nearby operations. At possibly the most frustrating time ever, Oscar and Francisca were forced to order their coffee pickers to stop picking coffee in the midst of harvest. For the sake of continuing to offer jobs in their community, they made a risky decision to experiment with processing their coffees naturally, a way to continue picking coffee and processing without water and machinery.
At the time, this natural way of processing coffee was viewed negatively by the community and associated with low quality. The two began experimenting with these new processes and calling them new names to improve the reputation of their product.
This is the story of how Oscar and Francisca became pioneers in honey processing. Their fortitude and determination have made them the cornerstone of the natural and honey processing methods of coffee in Costa Rica. They have changed the game for coffee producers in their community.
Oscar and Francisca’s passion to educate, experiment, and take risks has brought them to their success today. Seattle’s coffee community is fortunate to have pioneers like them, and what better way to enrich our community than to share their story.
