Costa Rican | Aquiares Estate | Red Honey

Aquiares Estate, also known as “Aquiares Coffee and Community,” is Costa Rica's largest coffee farm and houses 1,800 residents. The estate, established in 1890, was transformed by Alfonso Robelo in the late 20th century. A political refugee from Nicaragua, Alfonso fled to Costa Rica during the civil war and began developing the community on the fertile slopes of the Turrialba volcano. He revolutionized the farm-worker relationship by empowering employees to own their homes, thereby enhancing their commitment to quality coffee production.

Under the stewardship of Alfonso’s son, Diego, Aquiares has embraced specialty coffee, adopting innovative agricultural practices and experimenting with new coffee varieties. The farm is a leader in sustainable agriculture in Central America, emphasizing carbon neutrality and meticulously measuring its greenhouse gas emissions to ensure they are offset, in line with Costa Rica's climate action policies.

Aquiares also maintains protected biological corridors to support local wildlife and collaborates with global researchers studying agricultural and environmental sustainability. These projects explore agroforestry's impact on soil health and the biodiversity within coffee farming systems, positioning Aquiares as a model of environmental responsibility and agricultural innovation.