{"id":14716,"date":"2026-03-31T00:47:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T15:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/?post_type=producers&p=14716"},"modified":"2026-03-31T00:47:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T15:47:50","slug":"sabio-coffee","status":"publish","type":"producers","link":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/narratives\/producers\/sabio-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabio Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In coffee production, overlooking even a single step can significantly compromise quality. This is why the \u201cvertically integrated model\u201d\u2014where everything from cultivation and processing to drying, cupping, and export is managed in-house\u2014has proven to be an effective way to ensure consistency and excellence. However, implementing such a model is far from easy. It requires substantial investment, sharp business acumen, and highly skilled professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In Central America, Nicaragua, one company that has successfully embraced this approach is Sabio Coffee. Founded in 2004 by Enrique Ferrufino, a medical doctor, together with Silvia Norori, the company began with the acquisition of 200 hectares farm. Today, it has expanded to 450 hectares (around 50% of which is preserved as a natural reserve). With an annual export volume of 45 to 55 containers and a full-time workforce of approximately 150 employees, Sabio Coffee has grown into a major player in the region. At the forefront of its portfolio are premium lines such as Alquimia, N\u00e9ctar, and Bonanza, all of which deliver exceptional quality to markets around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Yet Sabio\u2019s strength lies in more than just vertical integration. At its core is a meticulously designed 12-step<\/a> quality control process, engineered to craft the perfect cup. Complementing this is a flexible, client-oriented approach: just-in-time shipment aligned with customers\u2019 annual schedules, as well as the option to pre-book lots tailored to specific needs. These capabilities have earned the company trust and loyalty from its partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2018, Zuzana \u010cern\u00e1 has served as Quality Control Manager at Sabio Coffee. Born and raised in the Czech Republic, she has dedicated nearly 18 years to the world of coffee, having entered the industry at just 17. \u201cI\u2019ve never even considered doing anything else,\u201d she says. We spoke with her about what makes Sabio Coffee compelling.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Quality is Something You Build<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sabio Coffee\u2019s farms are located in Matagalpa, one of Nicaragua\u2019s most renowned coffee-producing regions. Situated at elevations of 1,200 to 1,400 meters, the area benefits from the wide temperature fluctuations typical of mountainous terrain, allowing coffee cherries to mature slowly and develop complex flavor profiles. The clearly defined wet and dry seasons also make it easier to plan and control harvest and drying processes with precision.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAbout 99% of the coffee we produce qualifies as specialty. We\u2019re working in an environment that\u2019s ideal for coffee cultivation, selecting the right varieties, and applying processes based on objective indicators\u2014so in a way, it would actually be harder for us to produce coffee that isn\u2019t specialty. For me, great coffee is clean, well-balanced, and consistently high in quality year after year. There may be slight nuances from one harvest to the next, but we aim to maintain a stable, recognizable profile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This consistency and reliability are supported by \u201cSABIO 12,\u201d a 12-step process that spans from the farm all the way to the cupping lab. For example, only fully ripe cherries are harvested, and for certain product lines, only cherries picked early in the morning are used to prevent unwanted fermentation. Key metrics such as pH, temperature, and Brix (sugar content) are continuously monitored to bring out the intended flavor characteristics. Defects are eliminated through four stages of sorting\u2014by size, density, color, and finally by hand\u2014each step carefully designed with a clear purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Zuzana explains: \u201cAs a quality control manager, cupping is what I value most. Of course, you can\u2019t improve the coffee\u2019s quality through cupping itself, but the results directly inform how we store the coffee, where it should go, and when it should be shipped\u2014so accuracy is absolutely critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, I think I can truly appreciate that because I\u2019m working upstream in the supply chain. When I was working as a roaster in the Czech Republic, I had no idea how many steps were involved in producing coffee at this level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Quality is Determined Upstream<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Zuzana first stepped into the world of coffee at the age of 17, while she was still in high school. What began as an after-school part-time job quickly grew into something that took center stage in her life. Although she enrolled in university, she soon found herself questioning its purpose and ultimately decided to leave. She went on to build a diverse career in the Czech Republic, working with several roasters and export companies as a barista, in quality control, and later as a brand and sales manager\u2014before eventually finding her way to Sabio Coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe scope of how much you can influence quality is completely different between a roastery and a farm. If the coffee doesn\u2019t meet expectations, a roaster can only do so much\u2014source a different green coffee or adjust the roasting profile. At Sabio, on the other hand, where we manage everything from harvest to export in-house, we can design the optimal process and profile for each variety. That allows us to engage much more deeply in improving quality. That\u2019s exactly why I decided to move to Nicaragua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, in our region, we haven\u2019t yet seen significant impacts from climate change. Over the past seven years I\u2019ve been here, the harvest timing has remained almost the same, and we haven\u2019t had to alter our fermentation processes. Even if external factors like temperature or rainfall fluctuate, I believe that maintaining consistent fermentation protocols allows us to preserve quality stability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Today, Sabio operates two production lines at its own dry mill and is equipped with 13 mechanical dryers (guardiolas). However, until 2014, the company outsourced key processes such as hulling and sorting, selling its coffee on the domestic market. Frustrated by the inability to fully control quality within their own oversight, owner Enrique made the decision to build a dry mill to ensure consistently high standards. Later, Enrique Jr., who joined the company, began traveling to consuming countries to develop new clients. Since launching exports in 2014, Sabio has steadily expanded its scale and strengthened its presence in the global market.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEnrique Jr. believes that \u2018the bigger the company, the better.\u2019 Of course, scaling up expands what you can do\u2014but in order to maintain facilities and staff and recover the investment, you also need to secure a level of production that matches that scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a school of thought that says you shouldn\u2019t expand if you want to preserve quality. But I believe that\u2019s something you can solve through systems. At Sabio, for example, our production has grown from 10 containers to 50 over the past eight years, and we\u2019ve still maintained quality. What matters is establishing robust processes\u2014and continuously verifying that they\u2019re being executed properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we actively invest in mechanization, there are still many parts of our operation that rely on manpower. For instance, pesticide application and fertilization are carried out entirely by hand three to four times a year. At the same time, we aim to minimize the use of agrochemicals overall, so we\u2019re gradually replacing older trees with more disease-resistant varieties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Having established a strong operational foundation, Sabio Coffee launched a new initiative in 2024: the \u201cCrop Project.\u201d Through this program, the company purchases wet parchment directly from smallholder farmers\u2014many with farms of around one hectare\u2014via collection centers set up across 5 different regions, enabling more equitable pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, farmers who do not own trucks often cannot transport their harvested cherries to market, forcing them to sell at low prices to local intermediaries. This structural constraint is one of the reasons many remain trapped in poverty. In contrast, selling to Sabio offers a clear economic incentive. In 2025, more than 900 farmers participated in the project, contributing approximately 20 containers of coffee, most of which were sold as regional blends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the off-season, we send our agronomists to work directly with farmers, providing technical support on pruning and farm management. We also supply seedlings to those who want to renovate their plots. This initiative is positioned as a kind of second line for us, but it\u2019s steadily growing, and we\u2019re excited about its future potential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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I Can\u2019t Imagine Another Life<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Zuzana had long dreamed of working at the production level of coffee, even back when she was working at a roastery in the Czech Republic. That opportunity finally came in 2018, when she was working for Coffee Embassy EU. As part of her role sourcing green coffee and learning about production, she was sent to a partner farm in Nicaragua for three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe farm I worked with at the time wasn\u2019t Sabio Coffee, but that experience made me realize this was exactly what I wanted to do. So instead of going back home, I decided to stay and build my life in Nicaragua.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was during that stay that she first encountered Sabio Coffee\u2014through a visit to a caf\u00e9 owned by Enrique Jr. In a country where most high-quality coffee is exported, she was struck by the rare experience of tasting coffee on par with what she had known in the Czech Republic. Around the same time, she was looking for her next opportunity. Taking a chance, she asked Enrique Jr., \u201cAre you looking for a cupper?\u201d That moment led her to join the company.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve never been interested in doing anything else, and I can\u2019t even imagine myself in another job. Even now, I look forward to going to the farm every morning, and I\u2019ve never experienced a slump or burnout. I\u2019m sure that even after 20 more years, I still won\u2019t get tired of this work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not entirely sure why I\u2019ve been able to sustain this level of passion, but I think it\u2019s because there\u2019s no end to the world of coffee. New varieties, new processes, new machines, new roasteries\u2014there\u2019s always something new emerging, so there\u2019s never a shortage of things to learn. At the same time, I understand why many people leave the industry. In many ways, it can be an exhausting line of work.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Another major reason, I think, is the environment I\u2019m in. Enrique Jr. is someone I respect, both as a person and as a leader. In Nicaragua, it\u2019s more common to see highly controlled, top-down management styles, but he\u2019s different\u2014he trusts his team, respects them, and gives them autonomy. When each person in charge of their area works with passion and a strong sense of ownership, that mindset naturally spreads to others. I think that\u2019s what creates a positive cycle within the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also a culture of celebrating milestones together\u2014birthdays, Christmas, and so on\u2014which really makes you feel accepted and part of the family. Of course, competitive salaries may also play a role, but I think what truly speaks to the strength of the environment is the fact that the managers of the dry mill, farm, and wet mill have each been with Sabio for over 14 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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