Coffee for Costa Rica has historically been a product of vital importance in many aspects. It has contributed to the development of the country's economy, the exploration and growth of the gastronomic industry, and the cultural growth of a people who have experienced their history alongside this ancestral beverage. To trace the arrival of the first coffee beans to the territory, we go back to the late 1700s, when it arrived from Martinique. The variety that arrived at that time was a Typica, from the Arabica genus.
It is estimated that the first plantation of these seeds was established on plots located where today is Central Avenue and Calle — currently commemorated with a plaque— owned by priest Félix Valverde, who cultivated it in 1809 and also shared seeds with neighbors to encourage them to plant coffee at home. Records show that on October 12, 1820, a ship called Nuestra Señora departed towards Perico, in Panama, carrying what would be the first hundredweight of "Costa Rican Coffee." The appearance of coffee marked one of the most significant events in the country's economic history, as Costa Rica was a nation immersed in poverty before its arrival.
In this context, Mariano Montealegre helped promote coffee cultivation in the 1830s and 1840s, generating an economic engine that led to substantial development. This was supported by Presidents Juan Mora Fernández and Braulio Carrillo, who quickly understood the potential importance of this activity for societal growth. In 1832, the first export was made to Chile—a place where European merchants commonly purchased—where the German trader Jorge Stiepel, residing in Costa Rica, resold it to London under the name "Chilean Coffee from Valparaíso." From there, its fame grew until Captain William Le Lacheur enabled direct trade with English ports, traveling from Puntarenas to London with a cargo of 5,500 quintales of Costa Rican coffee, a feat that facilitated later entry into the French market through Hippolyte Tournón.
The international success was now sealed, and the country's modernization progressed in all aspects: new roads, railways, postal services, the construction of the first University, the creation of the first national printing press, currency issuance, the building of the National Theater, and numerous other projects that spurred urban development. Between 1846 and 1890, coffee was a monoculture—meaning it was the only crop grown and exported across the country. In those early years, producers dried the beans in their own yards, hulled them with a mortar, and stored them for personal consumption. The government fostered production by providing free seeds and land titles to anyone willing to work in this unstoppable industry. As exports increased, so did the processing techniques and quality improvements. In 1830, Buenaventura Espinach built a paved patio and established the first wet mill, located south of Cartago, on the El Molino estate.
Today, coffee in Costa Rica is still cultivated entirely by hand, and the experience accumulated over many years has led to continuous quality improvement. With the ongoing support of universities and educational centers, this product has maintained its prestige and distinctive features, making it a national brand and an integral part of the country's identity.
