Santa Isabel farm

A historic farm in Jinotega producing quality coffee through a sustainable agroforestry system.

Farm overview

Country / Region : Nicaragua, Jinotega région

Producers:‍ Osman Gutiérrez Moreno

Altitude : 1100 m

Farm size : 420 hectares

Annual production :≈ 1400 T

Varieties : Caturra, Catuai, Java, Pacamara…

Processing methods: washed, natural

Farming model: Agroforestry

Certification: Rainforest alliance

Coffee in the Mountains of Jinotega

Nestled in the mountains of Jinotega in northern Nicaragua, Finca Santa Isabel is a coffee farm owned by Osman Gutiérrez Moreno, located at around 1,100 meters above sea level, where natural conditions are particularly well suited for growing Arabica coffee. The altitude, humidity, and topography contribute to producing structured and expressive coffees.

The farm dates back to the 1980s, when it began as a small 8-manzana property. Over time, the plantation gradually expanded to nearly 600 manzanas, with an increasing focus on lot quality, varietal selection, and the continuous improvement of farming practices.

A Scalable Model for Sustainable Coffee

Santa Isabel shows that a large-scale coffee farm can operate with a strong commitment to both environmental and social sustainability. The farm becoming one of the most established coffee farms in the Jinotega region.

Today, the farm is highly structured, with dedicated teams overseeing key areas of production. Vicente Alberto Gade leads the agronomic side, managing plant health, varietal selection, and field practices, while Armando Iglesia is in charge of quality control, ensuring consistency and monitoring cup profiles across different lots.

Santa Isabel employs around 150 to 200 permanent workers, with the workforce growing to over 1,000 people during harvest. This scale requires a high level of organization, but also allows the farm to maintain consistent operations and invest in long-term improvements.

Today, Osman’s sons are actively involved, helping manage daily operations, improve coffee quality, and implement environmental programs — proving that a large farm can be both productive and sustainable.

At Santa Isabel, quality is at the heart of everything.

The farm grows a diverse range of Arabica varieties — including Caturra, Catuaí, Arara, Pacamara, and Java — allowing them to produce coffees with distinct and complex cup profiles.

Quality and Full Process Control

A dedicated quality coffee lab, equipped with sample roasters, allows the team to monitor every lot from harvest to export. This ensures that the coffee meets specialty standards and that the farm can consistently identify and enhance high-scoring lots — some reaching 84–85 points or more.

By managing each stage internally — from varietal selection and cultivation to processing and cupping — Santa Isabel guarantees that every cup reflects both the care in the field and the precision in the mill.

Environmental Practices

Environmental practices at Santa Isabel have been developed over the years through long-term programs with partners such as Starbucks, ECOM, and Nespresso, helping structure both environmental standards and farm management.

Coffee at Santa Isabel is grown under shade, within an agroforestry system that integrates trees directly into the farm. These trees help regulate temperature, protect soil moisture, and create a more stable environment for coffee production.

🌱
Reforestation is an ongoing effort, with timber species planted alongside coffee to restore and diversify the landscape over time.

🌱
The farm works with biologists to better understand its biodiversity and identify ways to increase species presence across the farm.

🌱
All mechanical dryers are primarily powered by coffee husk (cáscara), used as fuel for heat generation.

The Role of Treerich

  • Treerich connects Santa Isabel with European roasters, reducing intermediaries and fostering more direct, transparent, and long-term relationships.

  • These partnerships help secure more stable pricing, reducing exposure to market volatility and allowing the producer to plan and invest with greater confidence.

  • Treerich helps highlight the work of the farm and the family behind it. By accessing the specialty coffee market, Santa Isabel can continue improving quality while building stronger, more sustainable partnerships.