About the Region
Located about 70 kilometers south of the capital, San Jose, the Santa Teresa 2000 micromill is owned and operated by Roger Ureña Hidalgo and his son, Alex Ureña.
Roger Ureña describes his personal experience as a producer: "Coffee growing is very common in Los Santos, and it has been passed down to me by my family over the years. I was born on November 19, 1963, a time when my father and grandparents were already growing coffee. As a child, I helped my father in his dairy and coffee fields while simultaneously pursuing my studies. At the age of 15, I began working on my own, establishing coffee nurseries. In 1987, I went to work in the US, and upon my return to Costa Rica, I started investing in coffee production by gradually purchasing land. It wasn't until 2015 that I had accumulated enough volume to process my own coffee, which led to the establishment of the Santa Teresa micromill."
Roger's mill is known as "Santa Teresa 2000" due to its elevation of more than 2,100 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest mills in Costa Rica.
With the assistance of his elder son, Alex Ureña, Roger gradually built his own micromill, Santa Teresa 2000, and began processing his own coffee in 2015, right next to the farm of the same name.
They planted various coffee varieties, including Geisha, Sudan Rume, Pacamara, Villalobos, Typica Mejorada, San Roque, and Catuai.
Both the farm and the mill are part of the Blue Flag Costa Rican Program, and through the Neutral Carbon certification process, they aim to foster a stronger relationship with the environment.