Mexican specialty coffee is something of a rarity here in South Africa, so we’re always excited when we get a chance to taste it. We’re even more excited when it comes to us via our friends at Origin Coffee Roasting, as we’ve enjoyed quite a few of their Mexican releases in the past (including their current decaf lot). This particular lot is the result of the efforts of numerous coffee farmers in Chiapas who work directly with specialty coffee exporter Covoya. Their individual harvests are combined under the name Ki-Saya, a name which combines the indigenous Mayan words “Ki”, meaning tasty, and “Saayab”, meaning “nature”, the latter referring to this coffee’s organic certification. 

The southernmost state of Chiapas is a humid, tropical region once characterised by sprawling rainforests that have largely been cleared for agriculture and livestock farming today. Chiapas is actually Mexico’s second largest agricultural producer overall, and is in fact responsible for around 60% of the country’s coffee output. Coffee has been a significant crop for Chiapas since the early 20th century, but the region has a long history of socio-economic hardship and civil unrest that has often upset the industry.

These days, however, Chiapas is once again a famous coffee origin. The region is, for the most part, currently governed by the Zapatista Movement, a far-left political and militant organisation. Chiapas’ agricultural sector currently favours common over private land ownership, and so coffee farming is handled by smallholder producers, often direct descendants of indigenous tribes. These farmers deliver their harvest to the San Cristobal de las Casas and Yajalón buying stations in northern Chiapas, and take great pride in their work, doing everything from planting to harvesting by hand.

Covoya notes that the Chiapas farmers responsible for their Ki-Saya offering have improved their farming practices over the years, and thus the quality of their crop, which is now considered some of the best in Mexico. Covoya has worked closely with the coffee-growing communities of Chiapas, and continues to strive in collaboration with them for sustainable agricultural practices and supply chain transformation.

Origin’s notes

• Flavour: Milk chocolate, allspice, almonds, cloves, dates, cinnamon, chocolate brownie
• Body: Syrupy
• Acidity: Low
• Roast: Medium
• Suggested brewing methods: V60, siphon, espresso, plunger, milk-based drinks

Coffee details from Origin

• Country: Mexico
• Region: Chiapas
• Owners: Numerous smallholder farmers located in Chiapas
• Altitude: 1200 - 1800 masl
• Varieties: Caturra, Costa Rica, Typica, Marsellesa
• Processing: Washed
• Certification: Organic (at farm)