Great coffee tells a story, and our Special Edition Fairtrade organic coffee from Café Orgánico Marcala S.A (COMSA) in Honduras is one worth sharing. It's the kind of coffee that reflects both epic craft and sweet impact—starting with farmers in Marcala who understand that the best flavours are worth waiting for.
What is Natural Process Coffee?
Natural process coffee is coffee where the whole cherry is dried in the sun with the bean still inside, allowing the fruit's natural sugars to infuse into the bean. This creates distinctive fruity and sweet flavours that are distinctive of many natural process coffees.
What Makes the Natural Process Special?
COMSA takes this traditional method to exceptional levels. These vibrant, plump cherries are laid out whole to dry in the Honduran sun, allowing the beans to slowly absorb all the sweetness from the surrounding pulp. The result? A cup bursting with complex flavours that showcase what careful natural processing can achieve.
This method creates those luscious bright flavours, heavy body, and lingering sweetness that natural process coffee is known for. The drying pulp gives fruity and floral notes to the coffee, delivering honey-like sweetness with brown sugar undertones that make each sip memorable.
Why is Natural Processing So Different?
Natural processing requires exceptional skill and patience. Cherries must be picked at the perfect state of ripeness, then carefully dried while being regularly rotated to prevent fermentation and mould. Weather conditions must be ideal, and constant monitoring is essential to prevent spoilage.
Who is COMSA and Where Are They Located?
COMSA (Café Orgánico Marcala S.A.) is a coffee cooperative located in Marcala, Honduras. Founded in 2001 by 69 local farmers, COMSA has grown to over 1,200 members producing specialty-grade Fairtrade organic coffee. They're situated in the mountainous Marcala region at altitudes between 1,200-1,700 metres above sea level.
When COMSA began, most Honduran coffee was conventionally grown with low prices that often didn't even cover production costs. Today, they own their warehouses and processing facilities, proving that when farmers work together with a clear vision, real change is possible.
What Does this COMSA Natural Coffee Taste Like?
This Fairtrade organic Special Edition delivers naturally processed honey sweetness in every sip. The most prominent flavour is honey—juicy, sweet, and smooth with minimal earthiness and a pleasant brown sugar finish. You'll also discover notes of fruit and floral undertones that create a complex, well-balanced cup.
The high-altitude growing conditions in Marcala contribute to the complex flavour profile that sets this coffee apart from typical Honduran coffee. Think fruity brightness balanced with deep, complex sweetness that lingers beautifully.
How Does Fairtrade Organic Certification Help Farmers?
Fairtrade organic certification ensures farmers receive fair prices for their coffee while maintaining environmentally sustainable farming practices. This certification guarantees that COMSA farmers are paid above market rates and that their farming methods protect the environment.
Take Efrain Urquia's story. Before joining COMSA, he was earning just 2 lempiras (14 cents NZ) per day with no house and no security. "I didn't have anything—no house, nothing," he shared. Through COMSA's support, he secured a loan to plant coffee and diversify with other crops like corn and bananas.
Today, Efrain has stable income, food security, and doesn't need to travel looking for extra work. His story demonstrates how Fairtrade organic cooperatives like COMSA create lasting change for farming families.
What Community Projects Does COMSA Support?
COMSA's impact extends well beyond coffee production. They run a primary school, offer organic education courses for farmers from across the region, and operate La Fortaleza—an experimental farm where members share knowledge and develop innovative farming techniques.
Their approach is built on what they call the 5 Ms: organic Material, Microorganisms, Minerals, living Molecules, and Gray Matter. It's their foundation for organic farming that prioritises both environmental health and community development, ensuring every bag of Fairtrade organic coffee meets the highest standards.
Why Choose This Fairtrade Natural Coffee?
Every cup of this Honduras Marcala Special Edition represents more than exceptional flavour. When you choose this Fairtrade organic coffee from COMSA, you're supporting sustainable farming practices, community development, and the livelihoods of over 1,200 farming families.
Your purchase helps fund educational programmes, infrastructure development, and the continued innovation that makes COMSA a leader in organic coffee production. It's proof that great coffee and positive impact go hand in hand.
From those original 69 farmers to today's thriving community of 1,200 members, this coffee represents what's possible when people unite around quality, sustainability, and shared prosperity.
And of course, to top it all off, $5 from each kg sold supports the work of Joyya - sparking good in places of extreme poverty and modern slavery.
Yes, this one ticks all the boxes - Three Times As Good As Regular Coffee
(Images credit: Trade Aid)
