Located atop the Tecapa volcano mountain range between the towns of Berlin and Santiago de Maria, Los Pirineos is named for its resemblance to the Pyrenees mountain range and offers spectacular views in all directions.
Coffee has been produced at this farm by the Baraona family for over 130 years, with the original plants and shade trees imported from Antigua, Guatemala. The farm has the largest private seed bank collection in El Salvador, with seeds and plants from more than 80 varietals.
Currently, the main varietals grown are bourbon, typica, pacas and pacamara. In the most recent harvest, Diego Baraona processed additional varietals planted five years ago, including SL28, harrar and sudan rume.
Los Pirineos has achieved great success at numerous auction programs and competitions and is widely recognized as one of the highest-quality coffee farms in El Salvador. The team takes great care to maintain clean equipment, ensuring quality processing from beginning to end, and stays current with modern processing, depulping and drying techniques.
Since 2017, Project Origin has collaborated with Los Pirineos on experimental processing methods including carbonic maceration. Their farm features a man-made plateau overlooking the Tecapa volcano, where extensive drying beds receive full sun and steady winds for even, consistent drying—ideal for diverse processing styles.
Project Origin & Los Pirineos
Project Origin first began working with Los Pirineos in 2013 after founder Saša Šestić met producer Gilberto Baraona. Together they developed and refined experimental varietals and processing methods, including carbonic maceration from 2017 onward.
These innovations allowed Los Pirineos to produce more consistent coffees and elevate the quality across multiple varietals and lots. Gilberto was also a prominent speaker at coffee events worldwide and earned numerous awards, including El Salvador Coffee Farmer of the Year in 2018. His coffees earned Cup of Excellence placements 17 times.
Gilberto was a driving force behind several “Project Origin: Best of El Salvador” auctions, enabling small-scale farmers to access direct relationships with buyers for the first time.
His dedication to community, sustainability and coffee excellence aligned closely with Project Origin’s values. After Gilberto’s passing in 2020, his legacy continues through his son Diego and daughter Fabiola. Project Origin continues to honor his memory by sharing his passion and coffees with the world.