HARVESTS, SHIPMENTS, SAMPLES LET'S RECAP THE HIGHLIGHTS !
Getting back into the swing of things after summer can be a bit hectic -so let’s make it easy. We’ve pulled together a quick update from our origins to give you a clear view of what’s available now and what’s on the way. It’s all designed to help you stay ahead with your coffee planning for the months to come.
CUPRIMA'S 360° COFFEE OVERVIEW
COFFEES AVAILABLE & UPCOMING ARRIVALS
Here’s a quick overview of our current stock (IN STOCK) and what’s on the horizon (ETA), so you can plan your purchases now or align them with seasonal offerings.
CURIOUS ABOUT UPCOMING ORIGINS ?
WE'VE SUMMARISED THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU !
CENTRAL AMERICA - 2024/2025 Harvest Overview
The 2024/2025 harvest across Central America was shaped by a season of contrasts and shifting conditions. While the region’s general harvest window -December through April, held overall, erratic weather patterns created uneven timing, unpredictable yields, and logistical complications across several origins.
Beyond climate variability, producers across the region continued to face structural challenges: ongoing labor shortages, rising input and labor costs, aging infrastructure, and increasing pressure to meet sustainability and traceability requirements. These factors placed added strain on both farm-level operations and long-term planning, all while global competition for top lots intensified.
And yet, Central America continues to prove its resilience. Across the region, producers are responding with regenerative farming practices, improved post-harvest methods, and an unwavering commitment to quality. The result is a vibrant spectrum of coffees with distinctive profiles -from bright and structured to syrupy and sweet, that continue to meet the high expectations of roasters and buyers around the world.
Thanks to CUPRIMA’s deep roots in the region, on-the-ground presence, and close collaboration with producers, we were able to adapt quickly to a dynamic harvest and secure an outstanding selection of coffees. Our sourcing team has locked in exceptional lots from Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica, with a strong focus on quality, traceability, and long-term value.
To cap it off, five partner producers of CUPRIMA in Central America were awarded Cup of Excellence (https://cupofexcellence.org/) honours this season -a testament not only to their skill and dedication, but also to the strength of our direct partnerships that enable us to bring these exceptional coffees to roasters worldwide.
GUATEMALA: Finca Paraxaj (GUA) – Anabella Meneses #3 in the Naturals category. Finca Bella Vista (GUA) – Arcenio Castillo #5 in the Naturals category. Finca La Bolsa (GUA) – Vides 58 team-Juan José Ariano / Betty Leiva/Luis Fernando Soto #10 in the Naturals category.
EL SALVADOR : Finca Miramar (SV) – Fernando Alfaro #5 in the Washed and Honey category
COSTA RICA: Hacienda San Isidro (CR)– Matias Monge and his family #2 in the Honey and Naturals + #2 and #3 in Fermentations and experimental lots
GUATEMALA- 2024/2025 Harvest Insights
Challenges
Delayed Harvest Due to Prolonged Rains: Prolonged rainfall in October and November disrupted flowering, delaying cherry development and pushing the harvest season later than usual, especially in high-altitude areas like Huehuetenango.
Logistical Difficulties During Rainy Season: The late harvest coincided with the rainy season, causing poor road conditions that complicated transport of cherries and parchment, delaying post-harvest processing.
Labour Shortages Affecting Picking Efficiency: A growing shortage of available labor -due to migration to cities and abroad -impacted the efficiency and precision of cherry picking during a compressed harvest window.
Structural & Market Pressures: Rising input and labor costs, aging infrastructure, climate variability, and increased demands for sustainability and traceability added ongoing challenges to profitability and long-term farm planning.
The Upside
Thanks to our on-the-ground team and long-standing relationships across Guatemala, CUPRIMA was closely involved throughout the season -from field visits to final milling. This direct engagement allowed us to secure a diverse portfolio of standout lots, each reflecting the care, precision, and commitment of our trusted producer partners.
EL SALVADOR- 2024/2025 Harvest Insights
Challenges
Accelerated Harvest Due to Intense Rainfall: Intense rainfall in December accelerated flowering and cherry maturation, causing an earlier-than-usual harvest. Premature cherry drop forced producers to start picking ahead of schedule to protect yield and quality.
Labor Constraints Amid a Compressed Harvest Timeline: The early and urgent harvest increased demand for labor at a time when availability was already limited, especially in remote and high-altitude areas.
Low National Production & Aging Coffee Trees: El Salvador faces ongoing challenges with low national output (one of the smallest in the region) due to aging trees and limited farm renovation efforts.
Structural & Climatic Challenges: High production costs and climate variability continue to disrupt flowering cycles and cherry development, further impacting yields and consistency.
The Upside
El Salvador continues to stand out as a source of exceptional micro-lots, particularly from the western regions of Ahuachapán, Santa Ana, and Chalatenango. This strength is grounded in a long-standing dedication to quality, cutting-edge processing innovation, and a rich coffee-growing heritage. These efforts consistently translate into vibrant, expressive cup profiles that resonate with roasters and coffee lovers alike.
NICARAGUA - 2024/2025 Harvest Insights
Challenges
Logistical Challenges Impacting Export and Shipping:Nicaragua faced some of the region’s most significant logistical hurdles this season, including a shortage of 20-foot containers, limited port capacity, and reduced responsiveness from shipping lines. These issues caused shipment delays and increased operational costs throughout the supply chain.
Adaptive Shipping Solutions amid Operational Constraints: To overcome these bottlenecks, local teams worked closely with exporters to reroute shipments via alternative ports like Puerto Cortés (Honduras), prioritize 40-foot containers, diversify shipping bookings, and adopt Sea Waybills (SWBs) to streamline documentation and improve flexibility.
Compliance and Traceability Pressures: The ongoing process of aligning with the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) added complexity, requiring enhanced documentation, traceability, and origin verification -increasing the administrative burden on sourcing efforts this season.
Harvest and Quality Stability: Despite logistical and regulatory challenges, the harvest was successfully completed with high-quality lots secured, especially from key microlot regions such as Jinotega and Nueva Segovia.
The Upside
Despite these hurdles, we’ve successfully maintained the flow of Nicaraguan coffees, thanks to the dedication and adaptability of our partners on the ground. We remain optimistic and proactive in ensuring timely arrivals of these coffees to Europe.
HONDURAS - 2024/2025 Harvest Insights
Challenges
Early Harvest Triggered by Intense Rainfall: The season began earlier than usual in several regions due to intense rainfall accelerating flowering and cherry development.
Unpredictable Weather Impacting Development and Processing: Irregular rainfall patterns and temperature fluctuations led to uneven flowering and cherry maturation. Intermittent dry spells followed by sudden rains complicated post-harvest drying, particularly for natural and honey-processed coffees that require consistent conditions.
Rising Financial Pressures: Producers faced increasing costs for fertilizers, labor, and processing inputs, alongside limited access to affordable credit in remote areas, squeezing profitability.
Labor Shortages Affecting Harvest Efficiency: Limited availability of labor during peak harvest slowed down selective picking and overall harvesting operations in certain zones.
The Upside
Nevertheless, producers -especially those in La Paz, delivered exceptional coffees this season, a testament to their resilience, adaptability, and ongoing investment in sustainable quality.
COSTA RICA- 2024/2025 Harvest Insights
Challenges
Climate Variability & Disease Pressure/ The season was marked by erratic weather patterns, which contributed to increased vulnerability to coffee diseases. These shifting conditions disrupted flowering and added complexity to both farm management and post-harvest processes.
Rising Costs & Economic Pressure/ Producers faced a surge in input and labor costs, further exacerbated by a strong Costa Rican colón. These financial pressures strained margins and limited the capacity for reinvestment -especially for smaller farms.
Aging Infrastructure & Need for Renewal: Many farms are contending with aging trees and outdated infrastructure, prompting renewed attention to long-term investment in productivity and climate resilience.
Regulatory Demands & Compliance: Costa Rica’s rigorous regulatory environment and traceability standards, while globally respected, add administrative load for producers -especially when aligning with evolving international requirements like EUDR.
The Upside
Despite its small size, Costa Rica leads in sustainable, traceable coffee production. Thanks to the micro-mill model, regions like Tarrazú continue to shine -especially with natural and anaerobic lots. We work closely with 10 partner producers here, including Hacienda San Isidro, where Matías Monge Naranjo sets the bar for quality and innovation.
ETHIOPIA - 2024/2025 Harvest Overview
The 2024/2025 coffee harvest in Ethiopia is showing strong potential, with early signs pointing to improvements in both volume and quality. National production is estimated at around 8.5 million bags, marking an increase of approximately 500,000 bags compared to the previous season. This growth is primarily the result of favourable rainfall across key growing regions, along with an 'on-year' production cycle in areas such as Sidamo and Yirgacheffe. Alongside this, producers are reporting a noticeable increase in the availability of washed coffees -likely due to both better processing conditions and improved infrastructure, which is giving buyers greater access to clean, high-quality profiles and more diversity in cup offerings.
One of the most significant developments this season is the introduction of major regulatory reforms in Ethiopia’s coffee sector. As part of this, the government floated the national currency, leading to a sharp 110% devaluation of the Birr. This liberalisation of the foreign exchange market paved the way for the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) to update its coffee pricing model. Now revised on a weekly basis, the new system incorporates the New York Arabica (C) price, the official exchange rate from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, and other market factors. Together, these changes represent a meaningful shift toward aligning Ethiopia’s coffee trade with global market standards.
The harvest began slightly earlier than usual, which allowed us to initiate our lot selection process promptly and efficiently. While early stages progressed smoothly, logistical challenges have once again surfaced during the export phase. A shortage of 20-foot containers in Addis Ababa has forced many exporters to switch to 40-foot units, adding pressure to already limited infrastructure. Transit times across East Africa also remain lengthy and inconsistent, continuing to pose a challenge for planning and delivery.
Our sourcing strategy remains focused on close collaboration with regionally specialised exporters, ensuring access to Ethiopia’s most renowned coffee-producing areas. Roasters can expect another strong selection of high-quality, traceable lots this season from celebrated origins such as Yirgacheffe, Sidama, and Guji -demonstrating once again why Ethiopia remains a cornerstone of the global specialty coffee landscape.
KENYA - 2024/2025 Harvest Overview
Kenya’s coffee production for the 2024/2025 season is expected to be 10–15% lower than last year, as excessive rainfall in certain regions disrupted flowering. However, these same conditions -driven by El Niño rains in late 2023 and early 2024, also created excellent conditions for cherry development. As a result, quality is expected to be high, with premium grades (AA, AB, PB and C) projected to make up around 80% of the harvest.
Though Kenya ranks 17th globally in Arabica volume, it holds the 10th spot in terms of value, thanks to consistent quality, strong international demand, and premium pricing. That said, the structure of Kenya’s coffee sector is shifting. Estate coffee near Nairobi is declining due to high land prices and urban expansion, while Central Kenya -including Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Meru and Embu continues to deliver top quality, with some farms even increasing yields through improved practices. Meanwhile, Western Kenya (Mount Elgon) and southern regions like Machakos are emerging as new production zones -driven by smallholder-led growth and new plantings.
Last year, Kenya’s coffee processing sector faced delays in milling and auctions due to regulatory changes. This season, the situation has improved with more mills now licensed to operate. Many of these are regional mills run by coffee unions, helping to speed up the process from harvest to market. These new players are also supporting better coffee marketing through both auctions and direct sales.
With quality expected to be strong, new regions coming online, and a more efficient post-harvest system in place, Kenya remains one of the most exciting origins for high-value coffees this season.
UPCOMING CUPRIMA EVENTS
Barista Cup OSTRAVA 2025 - 6 September 2025
Paris Coffee Show 2025 - 14-15 September 2025
KUDO'S, INSPIRATION & REFERENCES
CUPRIMA's harvest calendar
CUPRIMA - Origins