La Salsa
Benjamin Paz Muñoz
6
General Information
About the Farm
Finca La Salsa was planted in 2018 with a dream: to grow world-class coffee and uplift the community in Santa Bárbara, Honduras. Since then, they won 1st place in the Cup of Excellence twice, but the real success came from sharing seeds and fermentation techniques with local producers, mentoring new talent and helping others compete, supporting 7 producers who made it to the auction with coffee from their project and helping unknown producers reach global buyers by sharing their platform.
Benjamin shared his story: "Finca La Salsa was planted in July 2018. As a producer, my goal was to grow the best coffee I could — both to share something special with my clients and to have enough to compete in the Cup of Excellence. I bought the land at the end of 2014 but waited to plant because I wanted the right seed material. Much of my inspiration for starting this farm came from previous COE-winning producers, who mentored and guided me. I learned from their mistakes, victories, and experiences."
At Finca La Salsa, we mostly grow Geisha and SL28, along with Orange Bourbon, Yellow Typica, K7, and Ethiopian varieties. I first participated in COE in 2018, placing 14th. In 2021, I placed 5th. In 2022, I won 1st place. In 2023, I was 5th again, and in 2024, I won 1st once more. I believe the impact of the Cup of Excellence in our region has been immense. It has opened doors for many producers, both inside and outside the competition. I always say that Santa Bárbara's specialty coffees are what they are because of the COE.
