4 Best Mexican Coffee Beans (Top Brands and Buying Guide)

Think specialty coffee, and your immediate thought probably isn’t Mexico. But you’d be surprised to know that the country produces some high-altitude coffees that can stand proud among the best beans in the world.

As always, the trick is knowing which beans to buy. Read on for some of the best Mexican coffee beans. You might just discover your new favourite coffee.

The best Mexican coffee brands in 2023

The rise in popularity of specialty coffees from Mexico has seen the emergence of some genuinely excellent beans come on to the market.

image	product	details
Best Overall Best Overall	Volcanica Mexican Organic Coffee	Medium roast Chiapas region 100% Arabica	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE
Best Organic Best Organic	Wonderstate Organic Mexico Grapos Reserva	Light roast Chiapas region Caturra, Bourbon, Marsellesa, Typica	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE
Budget Pick Budget Pick	Parisi Mexico Oaxaca Coffee Beans	Medium roast Oaxaca region Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo	click to check price
Best Value For Money Best Value For Money	Ceremony Mexico Coatepec	Medium-light roast Veracruz region Typica, Bourbon, Caturra	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE

Here are some of the brands we think are doing justice to Mexico’s unique and exciting harvest.

1. Volcanica Mexican Organic Coffee – Best Coffee from Mexico

• Roast level: Medium

• Region: Chiapas
• Varietal(s): 100% Arabica
• Processing: Washed
• Tasting notes: Hazelnut, earthy, cocoa
• Available as: Whole bean, ground coffee

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If you’re a fan of premium beans from some of the world’s best coffee-growing regions, then the Volcanica Coffee brand will probably be familiar to you. As the name suggests, it focuses on volcanic areas, where the mineral-rich soil is perfect for growing top-quality beans. You’ll find more than 100 different single origins, peaberry, flavoured coffee, and estate coffee, including Honduran beans and the highly prized Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

All beans are sustainably sourced, with Volcanica working directly with farms or collectives – in this case, from several smallholder farms in the Chiapas region. These certified organic and fair trade beans highlight the nutty, chocolatey flavour notes typical of the area. The sweetness of hazelnut and the earthiness of the cocoa creates a smooth and balanced cup of coffee with medium acidity. Volcanica also offers these organic Mexican beans as a dark roast, which brings out sweeter flavours such as brown sugar and maple syrup.

Once the whole bean coffee is shipped back to Volcanica headquarters, it’s given a medium roast with an eco-friendly Ovenpak 400 afterburner. Using natural gas helps to control the smoke and harmful gas waste generated as part of the roasting process, resulting in a much smaller carbon footprint. The freshly roasted coffee is shipped within one day so that you can enjoy it at its best.

2. Wonderstate Organic Mexico Grapos Reserva – Best Organic

• Roast level: Light

• Region: Chiapas
• Varietal(s): Caturra, Bourbon, Marsellesa, Typica
• Processing: Natural
• Tasting notes: Cocoa nibs, Meyer lemon, nougat
• Available as: Whole bean

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Wonderstate describes the flavour profile of these beans as something like a candy bar, which we have to admit sounds pretty inviting. It’s big on chocolatey notes, balanced by juicy citrus fruit and a hint of nuttiness. Unlike most Mexican coffees, these beans are naturally processed. The prolonged contact with the fruit of coffee cherry gives them a heavier body than you might expect from Mexican Chiapas coffee, as well as a rich sweetness.

Wonderstate worked with the Grapos Cooperative in the small district of Siltepec, Chiapas, to find these unique coffee beans. Meaning “Hill of Snails” in the local Nahuatl language, Siltepec is home to many small-scale farms at altitudes of 4,600-5,200 feet. To maintain the highest quality, this coffee includes beans from just four of these small farms.

Wonderstate Coffee works exclusively with farmers that employ organic and sustainable farming as part of what they call “sourcing for the collective good.” They pay 80% over the Fair Trade minimum, and 50% over regular Fair Trade certified organic prices. This also includes supporting farmer education and investing in innovative projects. In 2015, the Wonderstate roastery in Wisconsin became 100% solar-powered, one of the first roasteries in the world to do so.

3. Parisi Mexico Oaxaca Coffee Beans – Budget Pick

• Roast level: Medium

• Region: Oaxaca
• Varietal(s): Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo
• Processing: Washed
• Tasting notes: Caramel, chocolate, roasted peanuts
• Available as: Whole bean, ground coffee

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In the southern part of Oaxaca, you’ll find some of the highest mountains in the state, where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range passes through. This area is known for its incredible biodiversity, which, combined with the high altitude and good rainfall, creates a prime environment for coffee production. These beans are sourced from several small farms in the area, which use traditional wash processing to allow the true flavour of the bean to shine.

This coffee hits big with the more earthy and nutty notes, rather than the fruit-leaning flavor that you might expect. A medium roast brings out tastes of chocolate and roasted peanuts, with a sweetness in caramel and nougat.

The Parisi family founded their roasting business in 2006, drawing on their coffee-loving Italian heritage. Originally set up to serve local restaurants and grocery stores, it’s now developed into a large-scale roastery and two branded cafes. To help maintain quality at every stage of the process, Parisi has on staff CQI Licensed Q Graders and a former World Barista Champion (1).

4. Ceremony Mexico Coatepec – Best Value for Money

• Roast level: Medium-Light

• Region: Veracruz
• Varietal(s): Typica, Bourbon, Caturra
• Processing: Washed
• Tasting notes: Chocolate, hazelnut
• Available as: Whole bean

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Like many of the best coffees, these beans come from a high-altitude region. Farmers grow them up to 5,000 feet above sea level in the centre of Veracruz. The Coatepec district is one of the oldest Mexican coffee-growing regions, and the farmers here still grow the traditional Arabica varietals Typica, Bourbon, and Caturra. Farms here are small; usually, around 4 hectares, with beans sorted and wash-processed at local community mills.

Coatepec coffee is well known in Mexico and prized for its chocolate overtones and mild acidity, and these beans are true to type. A brew with this coffee will develop dessert-like flavours that have been described as reminiscent of brownie-batter – with notes of chocolate, hazelnut, and caramel.

Ceremony Coffee sources only seasonal beans with an 85+ rating, which are offered as single-origin coffees or added to their signature blends. The ceremony also directly supports community projects, including a venture that supplies coffee producers in Guatemala with high-tech weathervane devices.

Choosing The Best Mexican Coffee

Mexican coffee hasn’t always had a reputation for quality, particularly in North America. In the past, it was only the lower grade beans that made it here, with the cream of the crop finding its way to European countries. But by knowing a little about how beans are grown in Mexico, you can ensure you’ll be buying a coffee you love.

A Brief History of Coffee in Mexico

The birth of coffee growing in Mexico goes back to the late 1700s when the Spanish imported coffee from the Dominican Republic and Cuba. It wasn’t until nearly a century later that it was produced for export, with the beans generally coming from large plantations owned by European settlers.

After the Mexican Revolution, these haciendas were broken up and the land redistributed to indigenous laborers, creating small-scale farms that still exist today. By the 1970s, the Mexican government realized the potential of the country’s crops and set up INMECAFE to help provide support for farmers, resulting in a production increase of up to 900% in some areas (2).

Following government reform in the late ’80s, INMECAFE was defunded. At the same time, the international coffee market collapsed, and Mexico’s farmers were left without a way to sell their crops. It’s only recently that the industry is recovering, primarily due to the interest in specialty beans.

The Power of the Cooperative

Farmers’ cooperatives began to emerge after the coffee industry crashed. Farmers needed a line to the global market, and large buyers weren’t willing to negotiate with such small producers individually.

Cooperatives weren’t just a way of selling their beans, but also exploring more lucrative markets. Organic farming was traditionally the default for Mexican growers, and thanks to the work of cooperatives, the country now is one of the world’s biggest producers of organic coffee (3). The support to earn Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certifications also helps farmers to fetch higher prices.

Growing Regions and Flavour Profiles

The bulk of Mexican coffee beans comes from just four states, all found in the country’s south. These parts all benefit from mountainous terrain and rich volcanic soils but vary in climate. Specialty Mexican beans are generally known for having a light body with bright, dry acidity and sweetness. Flavour notes can run from fruity and floral to tastes of chocolate or nuts, depending on the region.

But it’s not just the geography that differentiates coffee from these areas. Some states have adopted modern technology and varietals, while others are proud to continue with traditional methods and plants.

Mexican Chiapas Coffee Beans

Mexico’s best-known coffee producer is also its biggest, supplying around 40% of its total. The hot, wet climate results in what many consider the best Mexican coffees, known to score above 90 at the Cup of Excellence. Flavours here tend toward cocoa and nuts, with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Mexican Chiapas beans were awarded protected denomination of origin in 2003 (4).

Veracruz Coffee Beans

This was the first state in Mexico to grow coffee, and the crop remains a vital source of income for the region. Veracruz produces some unremarkable coffee in the low-lying coastal regions, but beans from the mountainous area are highly sought after, particularly the Altura Coatepec beans. Denomination of origin applies to Veracruz coffee grown above 2,460 feet (5). Veracruz beans offer notes of chocolate and nuts, with a medium body and more pronounced acidity.

Oaxaca Coffee Beans

Much of Oaxaca is blessed with high-altitude, thanks to the convergence of several mountain ranges. And it’s here that some of Mexico’s most distinctive and in-demand beans are produced. You’ll find this coffee is milder than most, with light citrus acidity and sweet caramel overtones. Coffee grown in Pluma Hidalgo (known as Oaxaca Plume) is the most prestigious.

Puebla Coffee Beans

Puebla grows just 15% of the country’s coffee, but should not be overlooked as a producer. Thanks to the prevalence of volcanoes in the state (some of them active), the terrain is rich with minerals that coffee plants love. Beans from Puebla will develop the tastes of cocoa and spice, with notes of vanilla and citrus.

The Verdict

Mexican coffee beans have so much potential that it deserves exploring, particularly if you appreciate subtle flavours. The Volcanica Mexican Organic is an accessible coffee from a company with a good reputation. But you’ll have just as much fun with any of the beans on our list.