La Voz Que Clama en el Desierto is a cooperative in San Juan La Laguna, on the southwestern shore of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán. More commonly referred to as La Voz, the co-op’s full name translates to “The Voice that Cries out in the Desert” — a reference to San Juan’s patron saint, St. John the Baptist, who the Bible tells stories of preaching in the desert.

La Voz was created by a handful of young families in the late 1970s. Because the law dictated that a cooperative must be a minimum of 25 people, each farmer also registered his wife, to help meet the quota. They were determined to improve their quality of life, and life in their town, and they began embracing organic principles. La Voz became certified Organic in 1993, and today has at least 161 members, 61 of whom are women. (That the 61 women own their own land is a rarity in Guatemala.)

Guatemalan’s Western Highlands produce some of the most distinctively flavored coffees in the world. La Voz’s Arabica trees are cultivated in rich, volcanic soil under a diverse canopy of shade trees. With a variety of of native species, the trees are home to a wealth of migratory bird species.

Roast: light/medium

Tasting Notes: caramel, hot chocolate, autumn apples, full body

Coffee Fact Sheet