Small-Scale Cuban Farms Meet the Global Market

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Written by Sophia Bass

Cuba's coffee industry is reviving. Guantanamo province has historically been known for its coffee plantations and mountain ranges, producing some of the highest quality arabica beans in the world. While 90% of Cuba's coffee comes from Eastern Cuba, 8% comes from the central provinces, and 2% from the Western province of Pinar del Rio. Due to deforestation, Cuban coffee no longer grows in the surrounding areas around Havana.

In recent months, Cuba has partnered with international marketing companies and foreign investors to increase coffee exports. Cuban Mountain Coffee (CMC), is investing in the revival of Guantanamo's coffee crop and wants to market the coffee beans on the international market. In addition, CMC is partnering with Nespresso to supply the company with green coffee beans. Nespresso, a division of Swiss Food in Nestle, instigated excitement across the United States when it began exporting the first Cuban coffee to the U.S. market in half a century.

Over the next five years, CMC aims to invest $5.5 million in local production, including the purchase of equipment, plants, and nurseries. Technical agricultural support to 2,000 farmers will also be a part of this process. As Guantanamo Province is known for its great farming conditions for cultivating specialty grade coffee, investors want to revitalize this region, helping both farmers and consumers.

For more information on the growing coffee industry, check out Small-Scale Cuban Farms Meet the Global Market

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