tags: [] - coffee/geography - coffee/geography/central-america - coffee/geography/guatemala aliases: - Guatemalan Coffee MOC - Guatemala Coffee MOC created: 2026-05-14 updated: 2026-05-14
Guatemala MOC¶
Guatemala is one of Central America's most celebrated and regionally diverse coffee origins, growing 100% Arabica across eight Anacafé-designated origin regions in its volcanic highland interior at altitudes of 1,300–2,000 metres. The country's dramatic volcanic topography — active volcanoes, deep ravines, lake basins, and highland plateaus — creates the microclimate diversity that distinguishes each region's cup profile. Anacafé (the Guatemalan Coffee Association, founded 1960) manages origin certification, quality standards, and the Cup of Excellence programme, making Guatemala one of Latin America's most institutionally developed specialty coffee origins. This MOC navigates the country data file and all eight regional data files.
Deep Dives¶
| Article | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Guatemala | Canonical country file — history, varieties, production, industry, competitions |
| Antigua Coffee Region | Volcanic valley surrounded by three volcanoes; full body, chocolate, spice; benchmark origin |
| Huehuetenango Coffee Region | Northwestern highlands; Guatemala's highest altitude zone; bright, fruity, wine-like; Finca El Injerto |
| Cobán Coffee Region | Caribbean-moisture highland; gentle acidity, chocolate; misty cloud forest growing zone |
| Atitlán Coffee Region | Lake Atitlán basin; lively acidity, citrus; mineral volcanic terroir |
| San Marcos Coffee Region | Western highlands; Guatemala's highest-rainfall region; floral, delicate |
| Fraijanes Coffee Region | Active volcanic Pacaya zone; bright citrus, medium-full body |
| New Oriente Coffee Region | Eastern highlands; red clay volcanic soils; honey, citrus, winey character |
| Acatenango Coffee Region | Acatenango volcano; complex, floral, clean; high-altitude specialty lots |
Growing Regions¶
Western and Central Highlands: Antigua Coffee Region | Huehuetenango Coffee Region | San Marcos Coffee Region | Acatenango Coffee Region
Lake and Volcanic Zones: Atitlán Coffee Region | Fraijanes Coffee Region
Northern and Eastern Highlands: Cobán Coffee Region | New Oriente Coffee Region
Varieties and Processing¶
Varieties: Guatemala retains significant Bourbon plantings alongside Caturra, Catuai, Pache (Guatemala-native dwarf), Typica, and premium Gesha lots.
Processing: Washed Process | Natural Processing
Related MOCs¶
- Coffee Origins MOC — Global origin geography and the Bean Belt framework
- Coffee Processing MOC — Washed, natural, and honey processing
- Coffee Botany and Varietals MOC — Bourbon, Pache, and Gesha variety context
Essential Resources¶
Books: The World Atlas of Coffee, James Hoffmann, Mitchell Beazley, 2018
Online: Anacafé — Guatemalan Coffee Regions · Cup of Excellence Guatemala — Alliance for Coffee Excellence · Guatemala Coffee Overview — Sweet Maria's Coffee Library
This article is part of All-About-Coffee.com - The comprehensive coffee knowledgebase.
Copyright © Matthew Clairmont 2026