Honduras - San Francisco (2026)

Finca San Francisco is one of three farms maintained by Roger Domínguez, an incredibly skilled producer from the celebrated coffee region of Marcala, Honduras. Roger's entire family is involved in coffee in some capacity, and their pursuit of excellence is evident in everything they do.

San Francisco is about 4 hectares in size, about the same as Washington Square Park. The farm is mostly planted with bourbon and catuai, which enjoy ample shade from a variety of both indigenous and introduced cover species. The entrance to the farm sits at 1,350 meters - excellent for Marcala's climate and latitude - and its lowest point is forged by a swift, turquoise stream in which trout can be caught. Nearly adjacent to San Francisco is Finca La Cueva, another farm of Roger's named for a natural cave where it is believed that indigenous people once lived in the pre-Columbian era.

Marcala lies in the La Paz department of western Honduras within the Montecillos mountain range. The climate here is relatively dry and warm in comparison to other parts of the country where we source coffee - perhaps closer in feel to Antigua Guatemala than to Santa Bárbara, Honduras. As a result, the harvest in Marcala is generally completed earlier than in Santa Bárbara.

The predictably dry weather during the harvest and postharvest season means Marcala is especially well-suited to the production of natural process coffees. Once picked, the fully intact coffee fruits are laid out in a thin layer to dry, in Roger's case on raised and shaded mesh platforms. The coffee is frequently turned to promote even drying and to minimize damp areas, which ensures a clean and uniform cup. The time required to dry the coffee depends largely on weather; anywhere from two to six weeks could be necessary for a particular lot. Once completed, Roger sends the coffee to a local dry mill for the final stage of preparation in which the dried fruit husk is removed.

Roger inherited his farms from his father, and now most of his extended family is involved in coffee in some capacity. His mother and sister both manage successful coffee farms nearby, and the family collectively exports under the name Café San Carlos. In the town center of Marcala, Roger's brother Abel recently opened a beautiful specialty cafe called Blooms Coffee, showcasing the family's coffees in immaculate style.

We're grateful to the team at Cafe Imports for connecting us with Roger 8 years ago, and thrilled to have returned to Honduras this year for our second visit to his farms. Marcala is famous as a certified denomination of origin for coffee - meaning that the use of the name is regulated - and it's clear that the reason is not only the region's excellent soil and climate, but the passion and determination of producers like Roger and the Domínguez-Márquez families.