MAKE MINE A LOCAL JAVA

Up North, in the land of Starbucks coffee houses and gourmet java stores on every corner, you’ll often find Mexican coffee beans prominently displayed in glass containers or colorfully designed one pound bags. So it is a surprise when a coffee lover visiting Mazatlán orders coffee in a corner restaurant and is presented with a jar of Nescafé instant coffee and a cup of hot water. It’s even more surprising when one of Mexico´s largest commercial coffee industries, Café El Marino, is located right here in Mazatlán. To be fair, the operative word here is “commercial.” While boutique coffee companies concentrate on offering specialty beans from exotic locations at exorbitant prices, Café El Marino has built its company from the ground up based on good coffee at a fair price –the everyman’s coffee served at hotels, diners and restaurants worldwide. The company began operating on October 12, 1950 in Mazatlán. In the 55 years since its inception, it has expanded its products to include café verde, 100% roasted coffee, coffee with sugar, instant coffee, chocolate powder, gelatins, flans, powdered drinks and consumés. Of the two Café El Marino plants in Mexico, the Guadalajara plant is responsible for all non-coffee products, but Mazatlán remains the center of Café El Marino´s coffee production. The plant itself, located on the Carretera Internacional, is a warehouse of 69 kilo canvas bags of imported Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, the aroma permeating every room. The visitor is awash in the aroma, but plant workers say that after a year they don’t smell a thing. The beans are imported from Peru, Vietnam, Brazil, Columbia and Ecuador. Most of the smaller, more bitter Robusta beans come from Vietnam, the

world’s largest exporter of Robusta beans. The more flavorful Arabica, which contains less caffeine, is blended with the Robusta to round out the taste. Coffee is only grown near the equator between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and though planted at varying altitudes, experts say the richest coffee is grown at high elevations. Because large Mexican coffee plantations are located in lower regions, the company does not use indigenous beans. Still, according to the International Coffee Organization, Mexico is the fifth biggest producer of coffee in the world. The automated plant is immaculately clean, from the washing silos which hold 1,270 kilos of coffee beans, to the four roasting machines where the beans are roasted at 480ºF for 12-15 minutes, to the canning and packaging areas. After roasting, the beans are allowed to rest for a few hours to release a gas produced in the process. Without this step, bagged beans would explode, which would be a heck of a way to start the morning! Because Café El Marino exports 60% of its product to the US (for brands such as MJB, Chock Full of Nuts and 7-11 outlets), all packaging conforms to FDA regulations. The company’s other export markets include Japan, China, Korea, Ireland, Canada and Puerto Rico. While your favorite taco stand keeps a supply of instant coffee for those who need that kick after downing four tacos con pierna, Mazatlán´s restaurants and hotels serve our local home brew. As well, house brands such as VIPS, Gigante, Comercial Mexicana, Panama and Soriana are all supplied by Café El Marino. With the rising price of coffee internationally, it’s a bonus that in Mazatlán you can still get a good cup of locally made java at a reasonable price. In fact, have two!