High in the northern mountains of Chiapas, near the town of Coapilla, at around 1,480 meters above sea level, lies RANCHO MOMOKAMO. This is the ancestral land of the Zoque people, where pine-covered hills surround the emerald waters of Laguna Verde. For generations, life here followed the rhythms of mountain farming — cattle grazing across the slopes and fields of maize and beans sustaining local families.

The story of RANCHO MOMOKAMO began in 2019, with a decision to move away from monoculture and toward a more balanced, agroecological way of farming. The vision was to grow coffee as part of a living forest. That decision marked the beginning of a new path: specialty coffee.

The first coffee trees — Marsellesa and Costa Rica 95 — were planted among native and beneficial plants such as jonote trees, inga, bananas and pines, while traditional crops like cassava, maize and beans continue to grow alongside them. This diverse environment enriches the soil, protects water sources, and supports a healthy ecosystem. Like many of the roughly two hundred small coffee farms in Coapilla, RANCHO MOMOKAMO is a family-run farm.

In the cup, this “Cup of Excellence” awards recognized coffee shows generous sweetness with honeyed sugars and a peach-like softness. Aromatics are delicate and layered, with floral tones reminiscent of patchouli and marigold, supported by fragrant spices like cardamom and caraway. The variety, Marsellesa, is one of Mexico’s favored Arabicas. When carefully cultivated and thoughtfully managed, it proves both productive and consistent, capable of delivering cup qualities that stand alongside some of the most celebrated varieties, including Geisha.

CUP OF EXCELLENCE is the world’s most respected international competition for coffee quality, organised by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence. For producers, participation represents the highest level of global recognition. The competition is built on a rigorous, blind tasting system, with coffees advancing through multiple international judging rounds. The finalists are presented at auction, where winning lots can achieve prices many times higher than standard market levels. Beyond prestige, Cup of Excellence offers something more tangible: real economic opportunity and the beginning of long-term partnerships between producers and buyers.