Mayan Harvest (Rosalba Cifuentes Tovía)

Mayan Harvest was established by Rosalba Cifuentes Tovia, a native of the Bella Vista municipality in the Chiapas Sierra, to serve as a bridge between her home community and the global specialty coffee industry. Born in Tapachula and raised between there and Bella Vista, Cifuentes Tovia grew up in a region where coffee farming has been a multi-generational tradition. After moving to Oakland, California, she founded Mayan Harvest in 2016 with the goal of advocating for her community and ensuring that the farmers who cultivate the coffee receive the recognition and financial compensation they deserve for their labor. Her work is rooted in the belief that exceptional coffee should create tangible opportunities for the families who grow it.

Chiapas is the leading coffee-producing state in Mexico, characterized by its rugged terrain and proximity to the Guatemalan border. In Bella Vista, coffee is not merely a crop but a primary means of economic survival for many families. Cifuentes Tovia recognized that while the region produced high-quality coffee, the traditional commodity market often failed to provide farmers with a living wage. By taking on the role of an exporter, she helps producers manage the complex logistics of harvesting, processing, milling, and exporting, allowing them to bypass traditional market barriers and access higher-paying specialty roasters.

A central pillar of Mayan Harvest is the Bella Vista Women’s Group, an initiative Cifuentes Tovia launched to support female farmers in the region. She observed that women in Bella Vista often managed the heavy workload of farm maintenance alongside domestic responsibilities, yet their contributions were frequently overlooked. The group provides a platform for these women—many of whom are widows, divorcees, or primary farm managers—to receive recognition for their high-quality, meticulously selected coffee. Membership is open to any woman who manages her own farm, fostering a community of mutual support and professional development.

In practice, Mayan Harvest emphasizes quality control and education. Cifuentes Tovia has developed into an experienced cupper and works closely with farmers to refine their harvesting and processing techniques. This focus on quality allows the coffee to command competitive premiums, which in turn enables producers to reinvest in their farms and support their families' needs, such as education and nutrition. By moving away from the ICE commodity market, Mayan Harvest ensures that the price paid for the coffee correlates directly with its quality, providing a more sustainable economic model for the growers.

The impact of this work extends beyond individual farm-gate prices. By acting as a direct link in the supply chain, Mayan Harvest has helped bring the specific profile of Bella Vista coffee—often noted for its balanced acidity, body, and notes of chocolate and fruit—to the attention of Third Wave roasters in the United States. This visibility has helped elevate the reputation of Mexican coffee, which Cifuentes Tovia champions as a vital part of her mission. Her efforts have been documented by industry media, highlighting her resilience and her role as a leader who is deeply invested in the long-term prosperity of her community.

Today, Mayan Harvest stands as a model for producer-led export initiatives. The company continues to facilitate the movement of micro-lots from the Chiapas highlands to international markets, maintaining a focus on traceability and social impact. For the roaster, it offers a transparent connection to the source; for the drinker, it provides a cup that represents the labor and dedication of specific families; and for the farmers of Bella Vista, it represents a pathway to economic agency and a sustainable future in coffee production.