Don Manuel Sanchez and his family cultivate this rare coffee in the Nuevo Vergel community of Chiapas. Located at 1750 masl within the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, the family preserves original, uncrossed Red Maragogype trees. Since 2023, they have collaborated with Beneficio Edelmira to develop precision-controlled nanolots, focusing on specific cultivars rather than community blends. Despite the challenges of farming this tall, low-yielding variety, their meticulous anaerobic processing and slow drying highlight the "Elephant Bean’s" extraordinary, delicate potential.

The Sanchez family harvests these rare Red Maragogype cherries at peak ripeness (23° Brix). After being cleaned, the cherries are sealed in bags for a 36-hour anaerobic rest at 25°C. They then dry slowly on shaded raised beds for approximately 20 days until reaching 11% moisture. Finally, the coffee undergoes a 60-day stabilisation period in GrainPro bags before transport to the dry mill. This precision-controlled natural process is designed to highlight the delicate, nuanced potential of these massive "Elephant Beans".

The Maragogype varietal, or "Elephant Bean", is a natural mutation of Typica discovered in Bahia, Brazil, in 1870. It is defined by its massive beans and tall stature, but remains rare globally as it is low-yielding and susceptible to leaf rust. While often crossed into hybrids like Pacamara, the Sanchez family in Nuevo Vergel preserves an original, uncrossed line. Their meticulous care protects this "botanical oddity", yielding a delicate, nuanced cup that justifies its high-maintenance reputation.

These unusually large beans (large screen size) require a unique roasting approach that allows the heat to penetrate the centre of the bean while avoiding over roasting the outer shell of the bean. This translates to a low charge temperature, and a longer development time after FC combined with a lower RoR. Despite all the challenges, maragogype remains one of our favourite varietals. They are sadly a rare find, and sold at a premium, but we are just grateful that there are still farmers share our passion and persevere to bring us these occasional treats.