Esquina de los Cafés

Coffee Centre of Specialty Coffee: The Interview

By Brian Clark, PhD — October 24, 2018

Esquina de los Cafés is presented as a specialty coffee and premium chocolate center in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. The interview profiles Alex, who oversees coffee roasting, and Carla, who manages finances, packaging and artistic design.

“You go to wine country, you get the best wine. You go to coffee country, you get the worst coffee.”

The business sought to reverse that dynamic by making high-quality Nicaraguan coffee available where it is grown. Its customers included residents and tourists, with international shipping offered to travelers who wanted to order more after returning home.

Hard Times for the Market Niche

According to the 2018 interview, Nicaragua’s civil unrest sharply reduced tourism and placed pressure on tourism-dependent businesses. Esquina de los Cafés was exploring distribution through Nicaraguan coffee shops, prospective partnerships in the United States and tighter cost controls.

The owners hoped that a recovery in tourism would allow them to rebuild their visitor market, increase production capacity and pursue projects such as chocolate production.

Cornerstones of the Coffee Center

The operation is described as resting on three principles:

• Originality: developing distinctive interpretations of coffee and chocolate.
• Data: measuring production processes and customer experiences.
• Control: managing quality, quantity and market position.

Alex connects these principles with experience in Germany and the United States: making products carefully and honestly while also improving the consumer’s experience.

The broader purpose combines tourism with local economic development. The interview argues that visitors to a coffee-producing country should be able to experience excellent coffee there, even though commercial pressure often sends the highest-quality beans abroad.

Direct Deal Is Fair

Esquina de los Cafés describes its sourcing model as a direct deal with local growers around Aranjuez, between Matagalpa and Jinotega near the Cerro Dantali–El Diablo Natural Reserve. The stated approach involves purchasing coffee fruit directly, paying premium prices and connecting compensation with quality standards.

Because the grower, roaster and retailer are all based in Nicaragua, the model is intended to retain more of the supply chain’s economic value at its point of origin. The slogan printed on the company’s packaging is “Direct Deal is fair.”

Better Coffee, Better Experience

The interview emphasizes controlled roasting and argues that excessive heat can produce burnt, acrid flavors. Alex recommends keeping the roasting machine near 300°F (about 149°C) and generally below 330°F (about 165°C). These figures reflect his stated roasting approach rather than a universal standard.

The resulting goal is coffee with a wider range of discernible flavors and a more engaging sensory experience.

Education is also central to the work. Alex leads coffee-farm and milling tours, teaches roasting classes and guides visitors through structured coffee tastings, or cuppings, to help them understand the characteristics of each coffee.