La Esmeralda is owned by Nelson Raul Amado and his family. Nelson is a 5th generation producer having grown up on his great-grandfather's farm, Finca Santa Lucia. After opening his export company called De La Finca (DLF) in 2013, he buys finca La Esmeralda in 2021 with the aim of growing large-scale experimental batches. Located at a considerably high altitude, the farm offers excellent climatic and atmospheric conditions for experimenting and producing exclusively specialty coffee.

Comayagua is a high-altitude region with volcanic soil. This coffee-growing region is located on 'La Sampedrama' zone, which has yet to make its mark on the coffee world. However, it is already the home of a few well-established farms with a solid infrastructure. Nelson finds this region promising: it has the infrastructure to ensure consistency in quality and to experiment on a larger scale.

When he bought the farm, Nelson and his family planted new varieties, including Geisha, Pink Bourbon and Parainema. We'll have to wait a few more years for the results, but we can't wait!

La Esmeralda grows organic coffee under shade. In fact, the farm is certified Bird friendly (and fair trade).

La Esmeralda is managed by Joel Banegas, Nelson's cousin. He grew up on the family farm and looks after the day-to-day running of 22 family farms exported by DLF, which reinvests in local producer communities through long-term school projects and initiatives.