Strengthening Our Roots: The Impact of Our El Salvador Partnership
This week, I traveled to El Salvador to visit one of Olympia Coffee’s most vital partnerships—the Ariz family. Marco and Ricardo Ariz are not just coffee producers; they are innovators, dedicated to elevating Salvadoran coffee to new heights. Our relationship with them is built on years of collaboration, trust, and shared values, and it has become one of the most impactful sourcing relationships in our entire supply chain.
The Ariz family operates three farms, El Aguila, El Almen, and Las Charas, and processes their coffee at their mill, Fenix. Beyond their farms, they also source and process coffee from neighboring farms—Los Piñeros, Patagonia, La Cumbre 1, and La Cumbre 2—which contribute to our Morning Sun blend. In total, about 70% of their production is dedicated to Olympia Coffee, a testament to the strength of our partnership and the alignment of our vision for quality and sustainability.
One of the most exciting aspects of working with the Ariz family is their commitment to innovation. Unlike traditional washed coffees, most of their production revolves around experimental processing methods—from Anaerobic Honey to Double Hydro Carbonic Maceration. These cutting-edge techniques allow us to source some of the most complex and expressive coffees in the world, pushing the boundaries of flavor and quality. Marco, who oversees the processing, is truly one of the best in the industry. Having spent three years working at Olympia Coffee in our sourcing program, he brings a deep understanding of global best practices and has seamlessly integrated them into his farms and mill.
During my visit, I walked the farms with Ricardo, seeing firsthand the dedication that goes into each harvest. I also spent a full day cupping coffees, and making our selections for the upcoming season. The quality we experienced was exceptional, reaffirming why this relationship is so crucial to our sourcing strategy.
This partnership is about more than just great coffee—it’s about shared growth. As the Ariz family continues to push the limits of coffee production, Olympia Coffee is proud to be their strongest partner, helping to bring their incredible work to coffee lovers around the world. With the potential to purchase even more of their coffee in the future, we’re excited for what’s ahead.
As always, we remain committed to building relationships that create meaningful impact—both for our customers who seek extraordinary coffee and for the producers who make it possible. Our journey with the Ariz family is a shining example of how deep connections can lead to groundbreaking results in the coffee industry, and we’re just getting started.
Oliver
