Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters You Can Trust

Last updated on October 26th, 2023 at 14:39

This article is dedicated to the topic of Puerto Rico coffee roasters and which ones you can trust to get great coffee from that you can import with any trouble or problems.

Importation is not a problem, finding a Puerto Rican coffee roaster that will export is a lot more difficult since export is limited due to the majority of coffee being drunk on the island. I expect as the years roll by export of coffee will increase as production increases.

Keep reading as I dig down and talk about Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters that you can get great tasting coffee from.

Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters, LLC, A Specialist Distributor

Let’s first talk about the specialist distributor of Puerto Rican coffee, aptly named Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters LLC before we dive into the greater topic of various brands from the tropical island nation.

They produce and distribute 11 well known popular coffee brands from the island with the specific intent of preserving the coffee flavor and aroma of the original coffee beans and surpassing the expectations of both their clients and suppliers, the coffee plantations. They are the largest coffee buyer and roaster and have a true passion for coffee.

The brands that they work with are:

• Café Rico.
• Café Mami Coffee.
• Café Salomé.
• Alto Grande.
• Yaocono.
• Pudge Coffee.
• Encantos.
• Café Rioja.
• And more.

Their facilities are located all over the Island’s interior, with coffee farms in Maricao, Vega Baja, and the Jayuya mountain range. Their distribution spreads from all over Puerto Rico to the rest of the Caribbean and beyond, including the European Union and the United States via partner networks.

Their specialty coffees from Puerto Rico will lighten your taste buds and give you coffee shop quality coffee at home.

Today, an astounding 99% of the 10 Million pounds (4.5 Million Tonnes) of coffee produced on the island is distributed, sold and drunk on the Island. Puerto Ricans love it, and they want to keep it for themselves!

Only a tiny amount, 1%, is exported, making it difficult to source coffee from outside of the country.

Read: Puerto Rico blonde coffee

Yaucono Coffee History

One of the most acclaimed coffee brands of Puerto Rico is Yaucono, whose name is from the region in which it is cultivated and grown. They were founded by a local coffee farmer Miguel Ruiz who, like a true coffee lover, fell head over heels in love with the entire coffee industry. After his passing in 1916, his hacienda was sold to the Yaucono company.

Today, it still has that original intense flavor and aroma as it did back in 1896.

Read: Puerto Rican coffee maker

Alto Grande Coffee History – The Coffee Of Popes And Kings

Alto Grande and their Superior Premium coffee has some great history behind it. The unique and delicious Arabica coffee beans, perfectly grown in high quality soil with a rich and intense aroma and an extraordinary taste, became the coffee of choice by the Vatican and European Royalty and thus known as the coffee of popes and kings.

Rest assured you are getting one of the very best coffees from Puerto Rico.

Julian Coffee Puerto Rico

Julian Coffee makes specialty grade Puerto Rican coffee, sourcing their beans from high-quality organic coffee farmers in the Adjuntas area of the country. Only the very best beans are selected. The coffee trees are shade grown at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 meters).

Teaming up with the Melendez family and ensuring their coffee is hand-picked and naturally processed and 100% in adherence to paying a fair wage, all the coffee pickers are paid the United States salary equivalent, making them one of the best paid coffee workers in the industry.

Coffee Suppliers Puerto Rico

Due to only 1% of coffee produced in the island nation being exported, it still represents some 100,000 pounds (45,000 kilos) are still exported per year…and growing it is difficult to find great coffee from Puerto Rico and, well, supplies are limited.

Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters, whom we talked about earlier, is an excellent place to start your inquiries. The Puerto Rico Coffee Hub is another supplier of top quality coffee. They have

Café Crema and Café Rico, Café Mami Coffee, Café De Oro, El Coqui, Café Don Pello, Hacienda Lealtad and more.

Puerto Rico Coffee Shop is another great option to source your coffee from, who also sell Yerba maté, tea and Puerto Rican food.

Importing coffee from Puerto Rico

Ordering your coffee online and getting your delivery from any of the above-mentioned companies or from Amazon does not pose a risk.

The following information is from the United States Department Of Agriculture website and is, of course, subject to change.

Roasted Coffee Importation, of all roast types, pose zero risk of pests and insects due to being processed at high temperatures and does not require permission or documentation to import roasted coffee to any of the 50 States. Travelers are allowed an unlimited quantity in their luggage but must declare the product at the entry point.

This is the standard rule for all agricultural products.

Unroasted Raw Green Coffee Beans. As above, you can import these in an unlimited quantity and does not require a permit. You can also have an unlimited quantity in your luggage.

Green coffee beans are banned from entering or passing through Hawaii or Puerto Rico, the exemption being properly sealed, untampered green coffee beans. If pests or insects are found, your beans will be fumigated.

Whole Coffee Cherries, Raw Coffee Fruit. These are prohibited 100% from being imported into the US. The reason being that coffee cherries are a fruit fly risk.

Assume these rules are similar to your own country and their rules. Be smart and double check with your government agency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters

What Is The Most Popular Coffee In Puerto Rico?

The most popular coffee drinks in Puerto Rico are cortadito, which is an espresso with a dash of steamed milk, pocillo which is the local word for espresso, café con leche which is a café latte and a dry cappuccino. The most popular coffees in Puerto Rico to make those drinks are Café Don Ruiz, Alto Grande, Café Lareno and Yaucono.

What Kind Of Coffee Is Grown In Puerto Rico?

The majority of Puerto Rican coffee is Arabica which is well adapted to the mountainous terrain of Puerto Rico. The three popular varietals are Limón, Caturra and Bourbon. Over the past few years Puerto Rico’s coffee farmers have been conducting experiments with the cultivation of high-end Robusta coffee beans.

Is Puerto Rico Famous For Coffee?

Coffee from Puerto Rico is certain not as famous or as popular (yet) as Colombian, Brazilian, Costa Rican or Sumatran coffee, but make no mistake about it. The climate, elevation and the mineral rich volcanic soil in the countries’ interior provides the perfect environment to grow high quality coffee plants and beans and ultimately this leads to a tremendous cup of coffee.

Does Puerto Rico Have Coffee Beans?

Yes,

despite Puerto Rico not being high on your list, or not on your list at all when you think of coffee beans and coffee growing nations. After trying them, I am pretty confident that you will buy them again and perhaps even make them a regular on your beans to buy list. The island nation is currently experiencing a re-emergence as one of the better coffee growing regions amongst coffee lovers.

What Makes Puerto Rican Coffee So Good?

As a devout coffee lover and enthusiast I can 100% confirm that what makes Puerto Rican coffee so good is its flavor profile. It is smooth, sweet, strong, rich and full-bodied. It’s low in acidity and is very easy to drink.

Is Puerto Rico Known For Good Coffee?

Yes, Puerto Rican coffee is known and well respected in the coffee industry for producing high quality coffee and is considered as gourmet coffee.

Does Puerto Rico Still Produce Coffee?

Yes, there are still 2,000+ coffee farms in the island nation with 10,000 people dedicated to its production.

Who Owns Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters?

Puerto Rico Coffee Roaster is a owned by Coca-Cola, who have a monopoly on the coffee brand in the Island, dominating its production.

 Frappé-Ing It All Up – Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters

There is only a limited number of top quality and trusted Puerto Rico Coffee roasters that you can trust to send you fresh, top quality coffee that you will enjoy.

In this article we listed what we consider to be the most trusted and ran a test run and successfully got our coffee, fresh and problem free.

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