Finca Sophia coffee fetches world record price in 2020 Best of Panama Auction

Panama’s Finca Sophia Coffee, in the highlands of Nueva Suiza, recently fetched a world record auction price of $1300.50 per pound from winning bidder Pick Coffee at the 2020 Best of Panama Auction. This is after the coffee was awarded 1st Place in the Washed Geisha Category, 2nd Place in the Natural Geisha Category, and awarded the prestigious Panama Cup. Boot Coffee Campus’ founder Willem Boot’s Finca La Mula Madrisa Geisha lot was also represented in the Washed Geisha category.

“I’m still speechless after the incredible auction results of our Finca Sophia Olympus washed geisha which was sold for the world record auction price of $1300 per pound. When we started with the development of Finca Sophia we could not dream of such an incredible success” said Willem Boot, who co owns Finca Sophia with his wife Catherine Cadloni, Equator Coffees’ Brooke McDonald, Helen Russell and coffee consultant David Pohl.

Boot continued: “I want to thank our entire team at Finca Sophia and also our partners who always maintained their trust in the vision of Finca Sophia. I also feel very humbled by the fact that there are millions of coffee farmers for whom coffee growing is a struggle to survive. I hope that this phenomenal record will allow us to be more successful in our work in the world of coffee!”

Finca Sophia is managed by Kelly Hartmann, and is under the daily operations of farm supervisor Angel Mariano with co-direction by David Pohl. Finca Sophia was established to test the limits of coffee cultivation in Panama with elevations in excess of 2100 meters above sea level. While challenging, the elevation promotes slow fruit maturation and when combined with the utmost care and innovations in processing, yields the unmatched quality recognised by the judges and bidders of the 2020 Best of Panama Auction.

Willem Boot said: “this auction represents the dedication and hard work of Kelly Hartmann and Angel Mariano. We wouldn’t be here without their expertise and careful handling of these coffees. In keeping with our commitment to recognise farmers and their work, Kelly and Angel will both share in the rewards from this achievement.”