One family. Four generations. The same coffee.
Origins
Opening
the story
Coffee was always a recurring topic in our family; it was a staple of our after-dinner conversations.
We have great memories and recollections of our vacations in Santiago de María. The days at the estate with grandmother Leonor, who always made sure that all the grandchildren and nieces and nephews knew the land that belonged to them. Since we were children, they made us part of everything: harvesting, weighing, paying payrolls, living and working with the people. Unintentionally, they awakened a passion in us that defines who we are today.
The legacy
when it all started
The farms we operate today were part of the legacy inherited from our great-grandparents.
From generation to generation, the family always found a way for the land to pass into the hands of their own — and the estate's doors always remained open to everyone. The harvest season became a tradition: it was the place where we learned that working in the fields is not just a job, it is a way of life.
generations
The generation of
Carlos Humberto Gutiérrez Schönenberg
Carlos Humberto Gutiérrez Schönenberg was the one who took the legacy one step further.
Under his leadership, the estates grew and consolidated into a serious coffee operation, with its own identity and deep roots in the volcanic soil of El Salvador. His work laid the foundation for what is today Café Tekapa.
The current generation
Juan José, Carlos Humberto, and Julio Eduardo
Juan José, Carlos Humberto, and Julio Eduardo saw something more than just an inheritance in the farms: they saw an opportunity to unite their families around something that belonged to them all.
Each of them took the reins in the area of their greatest strength — agronomic management, processing, and marketing — and together they built a team that strives for excellence without losing sight of where they come from. They have built a team that provides them with experience and unconditional support, turning that into a shared vision that gave them the drive to continue this family legacy.
What drives us
One of the greatest qualities of our family is its strong bonds of unity.
Coffee is not just our business — it is the thread that keeps us talking to each other every day, the reason we come together, the reason we keep looking forward. Each harvest is a conversation between generations: those who started, those who continued, and those who are to come.
future
Innovation
tradition that looks forward
We are restless by nature.
We are always looking for the next improvement: visiting other farms, studying new varieties, adopting technologies that allow us to produce better coffee without losing what makes us unique. Staying updated is part of our DNA — but never at the expense of the practices that for generations have defined the character of our coffee.
Certified seed
investing in the future
One of the most important decisions we have made was to develop our own certified coffee seeds.
The seed is like the foundation: it defines what the plant will be in production, the grain quality, and the cup profile. Investing in certified seed is investing in the purity of the lineage and the consistency that a demanding market requires. It is an investment that isn't seen immediately, but proves its value over time, reflecting in future harvests.
Community
Santiago de María
Farms do not exist in isolation. They exist because there are people who work them, communities that surround them, and land that must be cared for so it can continue to give.
In Santiago de María, we participate in improvement projects, seeking to support our community. We offer work all year round — not just during the harvest season — because we know that the stability of our people is part of the stability of our company.
Fostering a sense of identity and belonging among those who work with us is not a simple strategy; it is building a community.
Mission
To be the company that reminds the world that behind every extraordinary cup, there is a land, a family, and a story worth knowing.
Vision
To establish Café Tekapa as the most trusted and admired specialty coffee producer, bringing our coffee to every corner of the world.
Family
Coffee is the thread that unites us across generations. Everything we do, we do together.
Origin
Every cup tells the story of where it comes from. We never lose sight of the land that gives us everything.
Quality
There are no shortcuts in the field or in the processing. Excellence is the only standard we know.
Innovation
We are restless by nature. We always seek to improve, without losing what makes us unique.
Community
We are part of Santiago de María. Your well-being and ours are not separate matters.
Sustainability
We care for the land, our people, and our community, thinking beyond each harvest.
