In stock now · Hedman Soto x Monte Azul
The mountain made this coffee. The mission made it matter.
Empowering Farmers. Strengthening Communities. Transforming Agriculture.
Single-origin Puerto Rican coffee from the Cordillera Central. Fresh-roasted by Monte Azul Foundation, a 501(c)3 rebuilding rural agriculture across the island after Hurricanes Irma and María. Sourced directly from the Monte Azul Foundation, whose Academy of Sustainable Agriculture & Innovation trains new and established farmers.
Buy the 12 oz bag →12 oz ground · $18
Why I'm Carrying This Coffee
I drove in from San Juan at sunrise.
I grew up around farmers. So when I heard what Monte Azul was doing, I had to see it for myself.
At the end of a trip visiting my parents, I drove out to Yabucoa early one morning to meet their team. The surroundings were familiar, I'd been through that part of the island before, but this drive was different.
I arrived ahead of schedule, so I kept driving through the fields. Workers were already out in the early morning sun, cultivating, moving with the kind of quiet determination you only see when people actually believe in what they're building. It was a breath of fresh air.
When I met Andrew and Rafael, they welcomed me the way only Puerto Ricans do, with open arms, full passion. We walked the property together. Fruit trees, herbs, vegetables, the animals, the equipment they loan out to local farmers, the new greenhouse going up, the commercial kitchen they're preparing to expand their teaching.
By the end of the walk, we'd already landed on it: this collaboration needed to happen. I left more excited than I've been about a partnership in a long time.
— Hedman
About Monte Azul Foundation
Born in the aftermath of Hurricane María.
Founded 2018. A 501(c)3 nonprofit incubating sustainable agriculture in rural Puerto Rico.
When Hurricanes Irma and María hit in 2017, Puerto Rico's agricultural sector was brought to its knees. $90 billion in damage, entire harvests lost, rural communities left without resources or a clear path to recovery.
Andrew Hermann had been working one island over in the Dominican Republic, supporting small-scale coffee growers. What he saw in Puerto Rico after the storms echoed challenges he'd seen across Latin America: rural communities grappling with economic marginalization and climate change. Out of that moment, Monte Azul was born.
The name, Blue Mountain, reflects the connection between agriculture, water, and life itself. Their flagship program, The Academy of Sustainable Agriculture and Innovation, delivers hands-on training and demonstration sites in Puerto Rico's most remote and economically disadvantaged regions. Their 22-acre shade-grown coffee farm in Maricao is a living example of what's possible.
Founder · Executive Director
Andrew Hermann
Spent years working alongside small-scale coffee growers in the Dominican Republic before María hit. Founded Monte Azul in 2018 to bring that same approach home to Puerto Rico — listen first, then co-create solutions with the farmers themselves.
Community Engagement · Agricultural Economist
Rafael Mejía
Born and raised in Puerto Rico. Trained agronomist and economist working directly with the Academy participants, building real market pathways, hands-on technical assistance, and the mentorship that keeps farmers in business after the workshops end.
Why It Matters
Puerto Rico imports 85% of its food.
The average farmer is 60 years old. The island has lost 59% of its farmers since 2000. Monte Azul exists to reverse that, and the numbers from their Academy show it's working.
Sources: USDA Agricultural Census 2022 + Monte Azul Foundation Academy participant data.
The Coffee
The morning cup.
Smooth, balanced, all the way down.
100% Arabica, fresh-roasted, from the Cordillera Central. The Puerto Rican coffee you remember from your abuela's kitchen, built for the morning, made to mean something.
- Origin Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico · Single-origin
- Variety 100% Arabica · Specialty grade
- Roast Fresh-roasted in Puerto Rico · Light-smooth and balanced profile
- Tasting Notes Cacao & tropical fruit
- Bag Size 12 oz · Ground
- Ships Now
Sourced directly from the Monte Azul Foundation
The Monte Azul Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in rural Puerto Rico dedicated to incubating sustainable agriculture. Its Academy of Sustainable Agriculture & Innovation runs training programs that equip new and established farmers with real-world skills, and its work gives small-scale producers the tools, training and support they need, from seed to market.
Monte Azul Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Learn more about their work at monteazulfoundation.org
Launching alongside Hispanic Heritage Month · Hedman Soto, Brooklyn NY
Questions
Monte Azul coffee, answered
What is Monte Azul Foundation?
A Puerto Rican 501(c)(3) rebuilding rural agriculture on the island after Hurricanes Irma and María. Its Academy of Sustainable Agriculture & Innovation trains new and established farmers.
Where is Monte Azul coffee grown?
In the Cordillera Central, the mountain range that runs through Puerto Rico's interior. It is single-origin 100% Arabica, grown at 2,550 feet and washed.
What does it taste like?
It is a light roast, smooth and balanced, with notes of cacao and tropical fruit.
Is it whole bean or ground?
Ground, at a medium grind, in a 12 oz bag. That is the grind a colador is built for, and it also works in a drip basket or a pour-over cone.
How do I brew it in a colador?
Spoon it into the cloth, pour water just off the boil, and let it drip. For pour-over, Monte Azul suggests 200°F water.
Where can I buy Monte Azul coffee in the U.S.?
Right here: Monte Azul Ground Coffee. We ship to the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada, with free U.S. standard shipping on orders of $60 or more.
What does buying it support?
Monte Azul Foundation's work with Puerto Rican farmers. In the words printed on the bag: every sip supports a farmer, every purchase builds a future.