Ecuador Santa Gertrudis

Hacienda Santa Gertrudis, nestled in the Malacatos Valley in Loja, Ecuador, has been in the Eguiguren family for over a century. While coffee wasn’t always part of its story, that changed in 1954 when Luis Emilio Eguiguren planted the first coffee trees. His son Hernan continued the tradition by cultivating commercial-grade coffee to sustain the farm. It was the next generation, José Eguiguren, who transformed Santa Gertrudis into a center for specialty coffee production.

Uniquely situated within the Podocarpus National Park, the farm experiences rainfall year-round. This unusual microclimate allows for continual coffee blossoming and the rare ability to harvest throughout the year.

Since taking over in 2017, José has dedicated himself to producing high-quality specialty coffee, reaching some of the most selective international markets. Santa Gertrudis is equipped with its own wet and dry mill, allowing full control over processing. But José’s vision extends beyond his own fields, he supports neighboring coffee farmers by offering milling, storage, export assistance, and technical guidance. This collaboration helps elevate quality across the region, improving income for local producers and enabling reinvestment in both farming and community livelihoods.