La Minita Coffee
La Minita Coffee is a specialty green coffee importer that directly owns three Costa Rican coffee estates and two processing mills, sourcing and selling single-origin and trademarked regional lots to B2B specialty coffee roasters across 11+ countries. It has been a subsidiary of Japan's ITO EN since 2014.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersHinesburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What La Minita Coffee does
La Minita Coffee (legal name: Hacienda La Minita) is a specialty green coffee importer and vertically integrated coffee producer founded in the late 1960s in Costa Rica's Los Santos region and exporting under the La Minita name since 1985. The company directly owns and operates three flagship Costa Rican estates — Hacienda La Minita (1,200 acres, 800 in production, ~1.7 million trees), Hacienda La Pradera (181 hectares at 1,550 m elevation), and Hacienda Rio Negro — along with two proprietary processing mills, Beneficio Rio Tarrazu and Beneficio Rio Negro, the latter powered by on-site hydroelectric generation and a biomass parchment furnace. Beyond owned estates, La Minita sources and imports trademarked single-origin and regional lots from 11+ countries including Brazil, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia through a network of 13+ origin partnerships.
The company's core product is green (unroasted) specialty coffee sold B2B directly to specialty coffee roasters through sales offices in Hinesburg, Vermont and San Jose, Costa Rica, plus warehouses on both US coasts. Offerings span flagship single-estate coffees, trademarked regional blends (Signature Dulce, Don Enrique Reserve, La Llama, Alma del Cafe), microlots featuring experimental processing (controlled anaerobic fermentation, yellow/red/black honey, natural, washed), and certified coffees (Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, Utz, C.A.F.E. Practices). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are direct, pay-as-you-go sales relationships with roasters. Proprietary agronomic and processing methods — five-pass selective hand harvesting, ~350,000 trees pruned annually, 150,000 nursery trees transplanted per year, cherry float separation tanks, and Pinhalense rotary dryers — underpin the quality control narrative.
La Minita has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITO EN, a Japanese tea and coffee company, since the 2014 acquisition of the milling operation, which brought strategic capital and international ownership to what was originally a family-scale Costa Rican estate operation. The company reaches roaster customers through farm visit programs (300+ visitors from 75+ companies in 2019), SCA event participation, a monthly Field Notes content series, and direct sales relationships, with VP of Sales Scott Merle leading US commercial operations and partner general managers handling origin-side execution.
La Minita Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Minita Coffee
- Legal name
- Hacienda La Minita
- Website
- https://laminita.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- La Minita Coffee is a specialty green coffee importer that directly owns three Costa Rican coffee estates and two processing mills, sourcing and selling single-origin and trademarked regional lots to B2B specialty coffee roasters across 11+ countries. It has been a subsidiary of Japan's ITO EN since 2014.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Minita Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Green Coffee Importing
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where La Minita Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hinesburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
La Minita Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Green Coffee Import and Export: Imports and exports specialty green coffee beans from owned farms and partner producers worldwide. Main business model involves sourcing, milling, and selling green coffee to roasters.
- Trademarked Coffee Lots: Premium single-estate and single-farm coffees sold under trademarked names including Hacienda La Minita, various regional blends, and microlots
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | B2B green coffee sales through direct relationships |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
La Minita Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Minita Coffee imports and sells specialty green coffee beans to specialty coffee roasters. The company directly owns and manages coffee farms and mills in Costa Rica, including the flagship Hacienda La Minita estate and two processing mills (Beneficio Rio Tarrazu and Beneficio Rio Negro), and supplements its production with coffees sourced from partner farms in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and other coffee-growing countries. Offerings include trademarked single-estate coffees, regional blends, microlots with experimental processing methods, and certified coffees sold through direct B2B sales relationships.
Product overview
La Minita Coffee is a specialty coffee importer with direct ownership and hands-on management of coffee farms and mills, primarily in Costa Rica. The company operates three flagship estates (Hacienda La Minita, Hacienda La Pradera, Hacienda Rio Negro) and two processing mills (Beneficio Rio Tarrazu and Beneficio Rio Negro). The company also sources and imports premium coffees from partner farms worldwide including Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. Offerings include trademarked single-estate coffees, regional blends, microlots with experimental processing (anaerobic fermentation, various honey processes), and certified coffees (Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, Utz). The company provides green coffee to roasters with focus on quality control and direct relationships at origin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hacienda La Minita Estate Coffee Flagship single-estate specialty coffee from the company's 1,200-acre farm in Costa Rica's Los Santos region, featuring Caturra, Catuai, and Hibrido Tico varieties. Exported under the La Minita banner since 1985.
- Hacienda La Pradera Coffee
Quantifiable outcome
- 34 years of continuous single-estate coffee exports
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use La Minita Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
La Minita Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
La Minita Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Capricornio CoffeescorePartnership for Brazilian coffees from southern Brazil states of Paraná and São Paulo. Includes trademarked coffees (Samba, Aguas Paulistas, Dulce) and microlot programs through Matão Women in Coffee project.
- Taylor WinchcoreKenya partners handling milling and export operations from Nairobi.
- Cafeteleria de Tierras TicascoreProducer/owner of Hacienda La Pradera farm in Los Santos, Costa Rica. General Manager Ricardo Herrera participates in SCA events.
- Fincas MierischcorePartnership since 2015 with coffee farms in Nicaragua (Jinotega region). Produces unique varieties and experimental milling techniques including Geisha, Yellow Pacamara, Javanica.
- Silva Family / Beneficio San PedrocorePartnership since 2014 with Silva family in El Salvador including Finca Divina Providencia, Finca La Siberia, Finca La Fany, San Cayetano Estate. Own mill enables tight quality control.
- Finca ChurupampaminorPeru partner in Chirinos, Cajamarca working on sustainable farming techniques and producer support.
- Valles de Cafe CooperativeminorPeru cooperative with women's committee, drying module projects, and community programs.
- APROCCURMAminorCooperative in northern Peru with 564 members, producing organic and Fair Trade certified coffees from Cajamarca and Amazonas regions.
- Zarama Family / Finca MatarredondaminorFive-generation family farm in Nariño, Colombia producing Rainforest Alliance certified coffees including Geisha variety.
- La Laja / Sampieri FamilyminorFamily farming and milling group in Veracruz, Mexico since 1920. Four farms in Veracruz, three in Puebla, with wet mills and Rainforest Alliance/Utz certifications.
- AsproguateminorFarmer's association of 100 organic coffee producers in Guatemala (Cakchiquel and Tzutujil communities) with multiple certifications including Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, Utz.
- Enrique Vasquez / Empresas de JardincorePartnership for Jardin mill in Colombia built in 2008 with state-of-the-art equipment. Enrique Vasquez is partner from Colombia, manages farm direct program and Premium Producer program.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
La Minita Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster that also operates a Direct Trade sourcing program buying green coffee directly from farms. Overlaps with La Minita on the sourcing/origin side though Stumptown's primary business is roasting/retail rather than green coffee import.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with a longstanding Direct Trade certified sourcing program working with producers across multiple origins. Comparable in origin relationships and specialty focus, though operates downstream as a roaster rather than as a green importer.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster known for pioneering direct-trade sourcing and longstanding producer partnerships in Latin America and Africa. Comparable in producer relationship model and specialty positioning, though primarily a roaster rather than green coffee wholesaler.
Direct peers
- Mercanta The Coffee Hunters: UK-based specialty green coffee importer with global sourcing from farms and cooperatives across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Directly comparable to La Minita in specialty green coffee focus, single-origin emphasis, and B2B roaster customer base.
- Sweet Maria's: Specialty green coffee importer and home-roasting retailer offering single-origin and microlot coffees from a wide range of origins. Comparable in specialty green coffee focus and origin diversity, though tilted more toward small-batch/home roaster end of the market.
- Royal Coffee: West Coast specialty green coffee importer with a deep portfolio of single-origin and estate coffees, an in-house roasting program for quality control, and direct relationships with origin producers. Directly comparable to La Minita in business model, customer base, and product offering.
- Cafe Imports: One of the largest specialty green coffee importers in North America, sourcing single-origin and microlot coffees from dozens of countries and selling to roasters. Highly comparable to La Minita in customer base (specialty roasters), product mix (green coffee), and distribution model.
- Crop to Cup Coffee Importers: Specialty green coffee importer focused on direct-trade relationships with producers in Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia. Competes head-to-head with La Minita for roaster accounts seeking traceable, single-origin green coffee.
Emerging players
- Allegro Coffee Company: Specialty coffee roaster and importer with whom La Minita has co-developed drying module projects for producers. Comparable on the origin sourcing side and as a specialty coffee counterparty, though smaller and roaster-led.
Others
- ITO EN: Japanese tea and beverage conglomerate that acquired La Minita's milling operation in 2014. As the parent company, ITO EN provides capital, global distribution (notably in Asia), and strategic direction; comparable as the corporate parent rather than as a market peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
La Minita Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceLa Minita Coffee compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
La Minita Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Minita Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
La Minita Coffee subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
La Minita Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Minita Coffee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about La Minita Coffee
What does La Minita Coffee do?
La Minita Coffee imports and sells specialty green coffee beans to specialty coffee roasters. The company directly owns and manages coffee farms and mills in Costa Rica, including the flagship Hacienda La Minita estate and two processing mills (Beneficio Rio Tarrazu and Beneficio Rio Negro), and supplements its production with coffees sourced from partner farms in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and other coffee-growing countries. Offerings include trademarked single-estate coffees, regional blends, microlots with experimental processing methods, and certified coffees sold through direct B2B sales relationships.
Is La Minita Coffee a public or private company?
La Minita Coffee is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was La Minita Coffee founded?
La Minita Coffee was founded in 1968. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is La Minita Coffee based?
La Minita Coffee is headquartered in Hinesburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does La Minita Coffee make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Green Coffee Import and Export is the primary driver. The others are trademarked Coffee Lots.
Who are La Minita Coffee's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Counter Culture Coffee and Intelligentsia Coffee. Direct peers are Mercanta The Coffee Hunters, Sweet Maria's, Royal Coffee, Cafe Imports and Crop to Cup Coffee Importers. Allegro Coffee Company is listed as an emerging player. ITO EN is listed as an others.
Does La Minita Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Minita Coffee.
What industry is La Minita Coffee in?
La Minita Coffee's product category is Specialty Green Coffee Importing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAKAD, Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Trading/Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAGACAI, Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.