Carlos Cadena

Carlos Cadena is a producer from Veracruz who has become known for his focus on quality, innovation and precision. He manages Finca Pocitos and Finca Huehuetepan, two family farms located in the highlands of Cosautlan de Carvajal. The farms sit in a cool, humid microclimate that supports slow cherry development and high sweetness. Carlos works with varieties like Mundo Maya, Typica, Sarchimor, Geisha and Pacamara, and treats each lot with the same discipline and care.

Finca Pocitos is planted between fertile volcanic soils and dense native forest. Shade, altitude and stable temperatures create ideal conditions for controlled fermentation and slow drying. Carlos invests heavily in selective picking and in constant improvements to his processing stations. He trains pickers to select cherries at peak ripeness, targets specific brix levels and adapts his processing to each variety. This attention to detail has shaped the clean, fruit forward style his coffees are known for.

Carlos is also one of the most decorated producers in Mexico. He placed in the Cup of Excellence multiple times and has achieved top rankings in national competitions. His coffees have represented Mexico on international cupping tables and he is recognised for pushing quality forward in Veracruz. These achievements matter because they reflect consistent discipline, not luck. Year after year he delivers lots with clean fruit, balanced sweetness and strong structure.

Mundo Maya from Finca Pocitos reflects this approach. Cherries are picked at ripe brix levels, floated for quality and rested for 12 to 16 hours before fermentation. They then go through an anaerobic fermentation of around 48 hours, sometimes extended to 72 hours depending on the lot. The coffee then dries slowly for about 20 to 23 days on raised beds. This controlled process creates the deep cherry character, syrupy sweetness and chocolate structure that make his coffees so distinctive.