Tag Archives: Coffee Centre

Coffee Centre of Specialty Coffee: The Interview

By Brian Clark, PhD in Psychology — October 24, 2018

Esquina de los Cafés is presented as a center for specialty-coffee and premium-chocolate business in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, celebrating the region’s coffee culture.

• Direct trade is fair.
• Quality matters: better coffee, better experience.

“You go to wine country, you get the best wine. You go to coffee country, you get the worst coffee,” says Alex, the coffee roaster behind Esquina de los Cafés.

Alex and his wife, Carla, set out to reverse that dynamic. Carla manages finances, packaging, and artistic design, while Alex focuses on coffee roasting and education. They built the business to offer high-quality specialty coffee to local customers and visitors, including travelers who later wanted coffee shipped to their homes.

Hard Times for the Market Niche

At the time of the interview, civil unrest in Nicaragua had sharply affected tourism-dependent businesses. Esquina de los Cafés was considering distribution through Nicaraguan coffee shops and potential partnerships in the United States while controlling costs. Its longer-term plans included rebuilding its tourism market, expanding production capacity, and developing chocolate products.

Cornerstones of the Coffee Corner

The operation is described as resting on three principles: originality, data, and control. Originality defines the products and experiences being developed, while process data and production controls support consistency in quality and quantity.

Alex draws on experience in Germany and the United States, as well as feedback from international visitors. He emphasizes careful temperature control during roasting, arguing that excessive heat can obscure the beans’ distinctive flavors. His preferred approach keeps the roasting machine near 300°F (about 149°C) and generally below 330°F (about 165°C).

Beyond roasting, Alex works as an educator. He leads coffee-farm and milling-facility tours, teaches roasting classes, and guides visitors through coffee cupping. These tastings are designed to help participants recognize aroma, acidity, body, sweetness, flavor, and aftertaste rather than simply serving them a cup of coffee.