Campesinos Ecológicos de la Sierra Madre de Chiapas S.C. (CESMACH)

Growing coffee in a rare cloud forest

High in the Sierra Madre Mountains of southern Mexico, the farmers of CESMACH grow coffee in one of the world's most remarkable natural environments.

Nestled within the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, their farms sit among rare cloud forests where cool mountain air, rich biodiversity and fertile soils create the perfect conditions for exceptional organic Arabica coffee.

We've been working with CESMACH since 2003, building a long-term partnership that's helped farmers strengthen their businesses while protecting the extraordinary landscape they call home.

Coffee shaped by nature

CESMACH's coffee is grown beneath the shade of native trees in a unique ecosystem that's home to hundreds of species of plants, birds and wildlife.

Farming organically is central to the cooperative's approach, helping to protect soils, water and biodiversity while producing beautifully balanced, high-quality coffee. Every cherry is carefully hand-picked before being processed and quality checked to ensure the exceptional standards CESMACH is known for.

The result is coffee with the distinctive character of Chiapas – vibrant, balanced and shaped by one of Mexico's most celebrated coffee-growing regions.

Leading the way on climate action

Protecting the environment has always been part of CESMACH's story.

The cooperative supports its members with technical advice, training and practical guidance on organic farming, helping farmers produce outstanding coffee while caring for the land. Beyond its own farms, CESMACH has also played an important role in helping the wider coffee-growing region adapt to climate change, bringing farmers together to share knowledge and strengthen the future of coffee.

By investing in both people and nature, the cooperative is helping farming families build more resilient livelihoods for generations to come.

A partnership that goes beyond coffee

Over more than two decades we've worked alongside the cooperative through both opportunities and challenges. When Hurricane Stan devastated the region in 2005, we provided emergency support to help farming families recover, reinforcing the long-term partnership we've built together.

It's one of the ways we do business differently - working alongside the people who grow our coffee, not simply buying from them.

At a glance

Founded: 1994

Location: Chiapas, Mexico

Partnership with Cafédirect: Since 2003

Coffee: Organic Arabica, hand-picked and shade-grown

Known for: Rare cloud forest coffee, climate leadership and protecting biodiversity.

“Cafédirect really seeks to establish a close relationship with the farmers and I appreciate that a lot. I have not seen that with any other buyers.”

Victorico Velasquez Morales , farmer member of CESMACH

“I really appreciate the work done by Cafédirect. They also are interested in the producer, contrary to other companies that are only interested in the product.”

Silvia Roblero Torres , farmer CESMACH member

Filed under Mexico