Ricardo Vargas

Origin: Ecuador
Process:Washed
Varieties: Caturra
Importer: Caravela
Harvest: 2025
Per-Kilogram green price: £13.02
Amount purchased: 69kg

In the northern region of Pichincha, Ecuador, lies the canton of Quito—a place with a deep-rooted coffee culture and a growing community of technical, quality-driven producers. Among them is Ricardo Vargas, owner of Vallejito, a farm born from family legacy and personal passion. Ricardo’s journey in coffee began years ago while he was working as a food engineer in the private sector. During that time, his father-in-law often asked him for help on his coffee farm, teaching him about processing, planting, and the importance of creating jobs through coffee. Seeing the potential of specialty coffee and inspired by these values, Ricardo developed a desire to build something of his own.

In 2014, he and his wife established their farm, naming it in honor of his late father-in-law. Since the beginning, Ricardo has focused on specialty coffee and meticulous processing. He carefully tracks temperature and Brix levels during fermentation and dries his coffee slowly for three to four weeks to enhance flavor development. His commitment to quality has encouraged him to improve infrastructure, including drying stations, the wet mill, and shade management.

Specialty coffee has brought Ricardo increased income and a better quality of life for his family. Today, he takes pride in producing coffee recognized worldwide and continues working to maintain profitability and quality while expanding his farm, planting Bourbon Sidra, and renewing older trees.