Veracruz specialty coffee hit by low‑priced Guatemalan imports

Importers of Guatemalan coffee have begun selling beans in Mexico at about 250 pesos per kilogram, undercutting the price of Veracruz‑grown specialty coffee, which can fetch up to 460 pesos per kilogram.

César Nava, owner of the Alma de Toro coffee shop, said the price gap makes it difficult for local producers to compete. He explained that his beans are sourced from the Huatusco‑Coscomatepec area at roughly 1,400 m altitude, grown under macadamia trees and rated 85 points, qualifying them as specialty grade. The product is currently sold at 240 pesos for half a kilogram, 130 pesos for a quarter kilo, and 460 pesos per kilogram.

Nava noted that Veracruz’s long coffee‑growing tradition results in a large supply of mixed and lower‑quality beans, which depresses prices overall. He added that consumers often cannot tell the difference between blended coffee and pure Arabica specialty beans, limiting market demand for higher‑priced, higher‑quality coffee.