From Pandemic Project to Philippines' Best Coffee: The Finca de Garces Series
Nestled amidst the lush foothills of Bukidnon's majestic Mt. Kalatungan, lies a verdant oasis of biodiversity and phenomenal coffee - the breathtaking Finca de Garces located in New Eden, Pangantucan, Bukidnon.
The Garces family explained to us that the 2 main reasons why their coffee is tasting wonderful even at the first initial harvests. First is the unconditional love that they give back to mother nature by taking care of the biodiversity around the area and by treating the coffee trees with so much love and respect. Second is their incredible passion and clear vision to produce great quality Philippine coffees that will hopefully inspire more consumers globally to appreciate Philippines as a high-quality coffee growing region.
(UPDATE June 6 2023:) Finca de Garces recently won as the champion of the recent Philippines Coffee Quality Competition 2023 by scoring 86-points for their natural sweet coffee.
This farm is no stranger to the Good Cup Coffee audience as they have been a cherished local producer. Just last year, the team was shocked by how clean, sweet and rich Finca de Garces's first harvest tasted considering that it had only been grown for eighteen months. A naturally-processed coffee that tastes this insanely great and clean raises the question, “How can it possibly get any better?”
For the past year, Good Cup Coffee has been tasting and cupping coffees from Finca de Garces with the hopes to answer the question posed above: by providing direct feedback to the farmers, processors, and growers.
This is just the beginning of an exciting journey that promises to bring more of Finca de Garces’s exceptional coffees to the world—and most especially, to you.
Manolito “Lito” Garces’s heart has always been set on serving the masses and being around people. However, when the virus in 2020 hit and made it almost impossible to leave the house, together with his wife, Gemma and his family, they started coffee farming as a pandemic project. This undertaking allowed them to not only adapt to the challenging times but also to cultivate their shared interest in coffee, bringing them closer together as a family while discovering a new passion. The Garces family was then joined by Ramil and Novie Valerio, who are experts in coffee farming on the ground fieldwork and post-harvest processing. Ramil currently acts as the processing manager of Finca de Garces.
Fast forward to 2022, their first-ever harvest yielded what would be one of the cleanest coffees that the Good Cup team has ever had. The Natural Sweet Coffee (Ethiopia Landrace) Variety from Finca de Garces quickly sold out within days of its launch, and such was its popularity that people are eagerly waiting for a possible relaunch, demonstrating the strong demand for this exceptional coffee.
This coffee was so good that our founder, Gio, instantly booked a flight and flew back to Mindanao to travel to Bukidnon after his first sip of this phenomenal coffee.
During the team’s recent visit to Finca de Garces, they were welcomed by the Garces family, as well as Ramil Valerio, who walked them through the farm and all the processing methods that they are currently working on. The farm's lush scenery generously ushers any visitor into a state of tranquility, as if transported to another world—and that’s before tasting any of their coffees!
Good Cup Coffee is excited to bring new coffees from the champion of this year's Philippine Coffee Quality Competiton, the amazing Finca de Garces.
The Finca de Garces Experience Box, which features coffees of different varietals (including the highly anticipated return of their Natural Sweet Coffee from 2022), will be extended to provide educational content and give a better understanding of what goes on at the farm. Gio will delve into an in-depth discussion of each varietal and the coffee-making process, revealing how they contribute to the overall taste of the coffee.
This five-part launch/content will serve as a valuable resource for those who seek to trace back the origins of the cup that they enjoy, and at the same time, honor the hands that planted, sorted, and process their coffee.
The Finca de Garces series of coffees will be released by Good Cup. Starting with the limited edition Finca de Garces Experience Box.
Get ready for a captivating sensory experience as you explore the distinct character of each coffee, accompanied by insightful educational videos that delve into the intricate details of what makes each cup unique.
Get ahold of one of the winning lots that graced the Finca de Garces farm. Click here to get a bag!
