Aquiares Estate Coffee

What Aquiares Estate Coffee does

Aquiares Estate Coffee is a vertically integrated specialty coffee producer and the largest coffee estate in Costa Rica, operating continuously since 1890 on the slopes of Turrialba Volcano. The estate spans 600 hectares of shaded Arabica coffee plantations alongside 200 hectares of protected rainforest, producing single-varietal micro-lots that include Mariana Anaerobic Natural, Esperanza Natural, Entre Rios Fully Washed, Centroamericano Red Honey, and Caturra Washed. The company applies specialty fermentation methods (anaerobic natural, red honey, fully washed) and participates in World Coffee Research's F1 hybrid pre-commercial trials with CATIE and Counter Culture Coffee, evaluating 10,000 hybrid plants for climate resilience, disease tolerance, and cup quality. The farm is Rainforest Alliance Certified and was the first coffee farm in Costa Rica to achieve Carbon Neutrality.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model spanning D2C e-commerce (subscription and one-time purchases at $16.90-$82.40 per unit, shipped globally), B2B wholesale to coffee shops, and on-site agritourism including coffee tours, horseback riding, bird watching tours, full-day estate experiences, and overnight stays at the century-old Hacienda La Esperanza villa. Revenue diversification extends beyond coffee into specialty chocolate (70% Cacao, launched 2017 in response to climate-driven altitude shifts), Aquiares Esencial essential oils (Eucalyptus, Oregano, Juanilama at $57 per 3-pack), and the handcrafted Vandola clay pour-over brewer at $190. The company holds a near-decade strategic sourcing relationship with Caribou Coffee, which references Aquiares in its annual ESG report as a regenerative agriculture pioneer.

The business model is premium-positioned across all verticals, with subscription pricing offering 10-18% recurring savings. Marketing is content-driven through blog/newsletters, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The primary customer segments are specialty coffee consumers seeking traceable single-origin coffees, eco-tourism travelers, and B2B wholesale partners. There is no disclosed revenue, headcount, or institutional funding; the company operates as a privately held estate with no parent company identified.

Name

Aquiares Estate Coffee

Legal name

Aquiares Estate Coffee

Website

https://aquiares.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquiares Estate Coffee is Costa Rica's largest coffee estate, operating since 1890 across 600 hectares on Turrialba Volcano. The vertically integrated company sells premium specialty coffee, chocolate, and essential oils via D2C e-commerce, wholesale, and agritourism experiences to global consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Production

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee production
• Single-origin coffee
• Coffee estate agritourism
• Specialty cacao chocolate
• Regenerative agriculture coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Turrialba

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of roasted specialty coffee through e-commerce platform with subscription options and one-time purchases. Products include single-origin varietals and micro-lots.
2. Agritourism: Revenue from tour experiences including coffee tours, horseback riding, bird watching, full-day experiences, and overnight stays at Hacienda La Esperanza.
3. Wholesale B2B: B2B wholesale partnerships supplying specialty chocolate and coffee to coffee shops.
4. Specialty Chocolate: Specialty cacao products including 70% chocolate and essential oils derived from farm-grown ingredients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aquiares Estate Coffee is a vertically integrated Costa Rican coffee estate that grows, processes, and sells premium specialty single-origin and micro-lot coffee (varietals such as Mariana Anaerobic Natural, Esperanza Natural, Entre Rios Fully Washed, Centroamericano Red Honey, and Caturra), complemented by specialty 70% cacao chocolate, farm-derived essential oils, and handcrafted brewing equipment. The estate also operates agritourism experiences including coffee tours, horseback riding, bird watching, full-day estate visits, and overnight stays at Hacienda La Esperanza. Products are sold worldwide via e-commerce, B2B wholesale, and on-site experiences.

Product overview

Aquiares Estate Coffee is a vertically integrated specialty coffee producer operating since 1890 on the slopes of Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica. The company offers a diversified portfolio centered on premium coffee products including single-varietal micro-lots (Mariana Anaerobic Natural, Esperanza Natural, Entre Rios Fully Washed, Centroamericano Red Honey, Caturra), complemented by specialty chocolate (70% Cacao), essential oils (Eucalyptus, Oregano, Juanilama), and artisanal coffee brewing equipment (Vandola clay pour-over). The portfolio also includes immersive agritourism experiences including coffee tours, full-day estate experiences, horseback riding, and bird watching tours, alongside villa accommodation at Hacienda La Esperanza. The company positions itself on regenerative agriculture practices and carbon neutrality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquiares Esencial: Essential oils product line featuring Eucalyptus, Oregano, and Juanilama oils derived from farm-grown botanicals.

Products and services

• Mariana Anaerobic Natural Specialty single-origin coffee produced via anaerobic natural fermentation; hybrid varietal cross of Iapar 59 and Ethiopian genetics with grapefruit, tamarind, and ripe pineapple notes. Sold as 250g bags and via monthly subscription.
• Esperanza Natural 4-pack Specialty coffee with dark chocolate, raisin, and blueberry notes from natural processing; medium roast with winey acidity and tropical fruit flavors. Sold as 4-pack bundles.
• Entre Rios Fully Washed 4-pack Day-to-day coffee from Obatá variety beans grown at the base of Turrialba Volcano; medium roast with dark chocolate, orange, red cherry, and caramel notes. Sold as 4-pack bundles.
• Centroamericano Red Honey 4-pack Specialty coffee with creamy caramel sweetness and citric aromatics; medium roast featuring peach, raspberry, and candied orange notes from red honey processing. Sold as 4-pack bundles.
• Caturra Fully Washed 4-pack

Quantifiable outcome

• 130+ bird species documented on the estate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Caribou CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly decade-long partnership with Caribou Coffee as a strategic sourcing partner. Caribou sources Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee from Aquiares and features the partnership in their annual ESG sustainability report, highlighting Aquiares as Costa Rica's largest coffee estate and pioneer in regenerative agriculture.
• World Coffee ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating in World Coffee Research's F1 hybrids pre-commercial trials in collaboration with Counter Culture Coffee. Aquiares is one of multiple industry partners establishing 10 trial plots across Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru to test 10,000 hybrid plants for pest/disease resistance, yield, and cup quality. The six-year evaluation supports WCR's goal of developing climate-resilient coffee varieties.
• CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATIE developed six varieties of cacao trees resistant to Monilia disease, which Aquiares planted in their lower-altitude cacao cultivation areas. CATIE also propagates coffee plants via somatic embryogenesis for WCR's F1 hybrids program, producing the 10,000 hybrid plants used in pre-commercial trials.
• Counter Culture CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating with Aquiares Estate in World Coffee Research's F1 hybrids pre-commercial trials to evaluate hybrid coffee plant performance in commercial growing conditions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hacienda Sonora: Costa Rica single-estate specialty coffee producer with on-farm tours and direct-to-consumer sales of micro-lots. Closely comparable in business model (estate-grown, traceable, premium DTC specialty coffee from a single Costa Rican terroir).
• Hacienda La Esmeralda: Panama estate famous for Geisha varietal and direct specialty/auction sales. Comparable as a single-origin Latin American estate that has built a premium brand on a single farm's terroir and processing.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: U.S. specialty coffee roaster known for Direct Trade sourcing and single-origin transparency. Comparable as a counterpart in the specialty coffee value chain emphasizing traceability and producer relationships.
• Counter Culture Coffee: U.S. specialty roaster and Aquiars' partner in WCR F1 hybrid trials. Comparable as a specialty coffee counterpart investing in producer-level sustainability and climate-resilience R&D.
• La Palma & El Tucán: Colombia specialty coffee estate operating farm-stay hospitality, café experiences, and DTC specialty coffee. Comparable as an agritourism-enabled specialty estate selling curated micro-lots directly to consumers and roasters.
• Finca El Injerto: Guatemalan specialty coffee estate producing auction-grade micro-lots and supplying leading specialty roasters. Comparable as a single-estate, award-focused producer in the Latin American specialty coffee origin market.
• La Minita: Iconic Costa Rica specialty coffee estate selling high-quality washed coffees to specialty roasters worldwide. Directly comparable as a Costa Rica origin estate with B2B specialty positioning and a focus on lot-level traceability.

Emerging players

• Dandelion Chocolate: Bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker sourcing single-origin cacao with farm-direct transparency. Comparable on the chocolate side of Aquiars' product portfolio, with a similar farm-to-bar traceability narrative.
• Askinosie Chocolate: Small-batch bean-to-bar chocolate maker working directly with cacao farmers. Comparable as a craft chocolate counterpart focused on single-origin sourcing and direct trade storytelling.

Others

• Caribou Coffee: Aquiars' largest named B2B customer and decade-long strategic sourcing partner. Relevant as a downstream buyer shaping Aquiars' ESG narrative and as a comparable in coffee retail/wholesale distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAdx5CVVhT2dOLfcSZcZV-w
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquiares
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquiarescoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquiares-estate-coffee

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquiares Estate Coffee