{"product_id":"honduras-melina-medina-washed-microlot","title":"Honduras - Melina Medina - Washed Microlot","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMelina Medina\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinca Los Chocollos - Honduras - Washed Microlot\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eProducer: Melina Medina\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eFarm: Finca Los Chocollos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eLocation: El Camolote, Santa María, La Paz, Honduras\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eVarietals: Catuai, Ihcafe 90\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAltitude: 1,450 - 1,50 m asl\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eProcess: Washed\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eDrying: Parabolic Shaded Solar Dryer\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe taste: Berries, Floral, Citrus, Rich\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSourced through our relationship with the Honduran Coffee Alliance.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eMerlin Medina began her life in coffee as a young girl. Though her family did not own a\u003cbr\u003efinca, her mother took her to the farms where she worked. Later, when Merlin married, her\u003cbr\u003ehusband Hubert gave her a section of his farm. For Merlin, it was exciting to finally have her own finca, even if it required replanting and renovation. She often relied on loans to keep production going during periods of low coffee prices.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eIn 2018, Merlin trained as a “Five-Star” Cupper with IHCAFE, and that same year her\u003cbr\u003ecoffee placed 34th in the Cup of Excellence. She is a member of the CAFESA\u003cbr\u003ecooperative in Marcala and, with Hubert, owns four small farms totaling 10.5 hectares.\u003cbr\u003eTogether they manage a cupping laboratory, offering services to other producers in the\u003cbr\u003eregion. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eMerlin and Hubert are the primary cupping partners for Honduran Coffee Alliance (HCA)and are both key collaborators and close friends of our team. For Merlin, coffee is a\u003cbr\u003efamily crop. She involves her two children, a boy and a girl, in production and cupping\u003cbr\u003ewhenever they are not in school, teaching them to value quality and community.\u003cbr\u003eUpdate 2024 – Merlin renovated parts of her farm with declining yields and continued facing labor shortages. She also attended the SCA Expo in April , where she met roasters and returned motivated to keep improving her farm and lab.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eUpdate 2025 – This year, Merlin became one of the main allies of HCA, overseeing an\u003cbr\u003eall-women team that hand-selected export-quality coffees. On the farm, she continues\u003cbr\u003einvesting in renovation, shade management, and processing improvements. At the lab,\u003cbr\u003eshe and Hubert are expanding services to help more producers showcase their coffees.\u003cbr\u003eMerlin’s dream remains to secure a long-term committed buyer who values her dedication.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith her passion, discipline, and leadership, she shows that coffee is not only a family\u003cbr\u003elegacy but also a community effort that creates opportunities for others.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Contrabean Roasting Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48498666143927,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1516\/2140\/files\/Honduras_Merlin_Medina.png?v=1779988435","url":"https:\/\/www.contrabean.ca\/products\/honduras-melina-medina-washed-microlot","provider":"Contrabean Roasting Company","version":"1.0","type":"link"}