Guatemala | Juan Diego de la Cerda, Finca El Socorro y Anexos

 Guatemala Department

Juan Diego de la Cerda’s family has been producing coffee at Finca el Socorro for generations. In the early 1900’s, his great-grandfather, Antonio López Colom, came to work at El Socorro, eventually handing over operations in 1960 to his daughter, Maria Colom, and her husband, Mario de la Cerda. Eventually, their son—Juan de la Cerda Colom—oversaw production before passing the farm to his son, Diego.

Under Diego’s tenure, Finca el Socorro y Annexos has become synonymous with specialty coffee in Guatemala. In 2007, he submitted his coffee into the Cup of Excellence competition in Guatemala and won. Since then, he has placed in the Top 5 ten times, capturing First Place in 2011, 2020, and 2023. These accolades are the result of hard work, careful processing, and creative experimentation.

Finca el Socorro is located near the town of Palencia, in Guatemala Department. It sits on steep terrain with a total of 700 hectares, or just over 1,700 acres. Though several coffee varieties are grown there, coffee trees are planted on less than 15% of the farm. Dairy farming takes up a similar amount of land, and the rest is left as a reserve for migratory birds and native species. Finca El Socorro is a Rainforest Alliance Certified farm and a model of sustainable farm management. The river that bisects the farm provides all the water for the wet mill, solar panels generate nearly all the electricity needed for daily operations, and beehives help pollinate the coffee trees more effectively and contribute to biodiversity.

The coffee is grown between altitudes of 1,550 meters and 1,860 meters, with the drying patios and wet mill located at 1,400 meters. The high altitude of the farm means hot days and cool, damp nights—perfect conditions for prized denser-bean coffee varieties. The climate does present challenges, requiring special attention to coffee processing.

On our visits to the farm in Palencia, we have watched as Juan Diego coaches the pickers on proper cherry selection and constantly works in the mill to make sure the pulpers are running at peak efficiency and fermentation times are accurate. Multiple drying techniques are used, with some lots being patio dried, others shade dried, and most recently, on African-style raised beds. Each night the parchment is swept up and covered to protect it from any rains that may occur. Sun and rain exposure is controlled, allowing him to extend or shorten drying times, and the new drying beds have increased production of natural and honey-process coffees on the farm. 

Quality is the highest priority for everyone at Finca El Socorro and that’s why we love working with Juan Diego, his family, and the staff.

 ~~~