Los Rodriguez

For many Oasis Coffee supporters, Los Rodriguez needs little introduction. We have proudly partnered with the Rodriguez family for over seven years.

Several years ago, Pedro Rodriguez visited Oasis in person and shared the inspiring story behind his mission to revive Bolivia’s specialty coffee industry. His unwavering commitment to quality—even choosing to reduce production in pursuit of better coffee—left a lasting impression on us. We have also had the privilege of competing with coffee from Alasitas, one of the Rodriguez family’s farms, in the Taiwan Brewers Cup (TBC).

The best-known coffee-producing region in Bolivia is Caranavi, located at the gateway to the Amazon rainforest. In recent years, however, the Rodriguez family has also invested in developing the Samaipata region, producing exceptional coffees with distinctive regional character.

Over the past decade, Bolivia’s coffee production has declined by nearly 80% due to changes in government policies and the impact of coffee diseases and pests. Today, the country’s annual coffee exports total only around 1,200 metric tons, making Bolivian coffee exceptionally rare in the global market. Yet Bolivia’s high latitude and diverse microclimates create ideal conditions for producing coffees with remarkable diversity and unique flavor profiles.

The Rodriguez family has long been a pioneer in Bolivia’s coffee industry. More than 30 years ago, they began by operating wet mills. As national coffee production continued to decline, they made the bold decision to become coffee producers themselves, adopting modern farm management practices and focusing on producing high-quality specialty coffee.

At the same time, they believed that the future of Bolivian coffee could only be secured by growing together with local producers. This vision led to the creation of Proyecto Sol de la Mañana (The Morning Sun Project), an initiative that shares their knowledge and technical expertise with neighboring farmers to help restore Bolivia’s coffee production and ensure that Bolivian coffee continues to have a place on the world stage.

Reducing Yield to Improve Quality

The Rodriguez family made a remarkably bold decision: they carried out extensive pruning across their farms, allowing sunlight to reach every part of each coffee tree—from the canopy down to the roots. Although this reduced production by nearly half, it significantly improved growing conditions, enabling the trees to absorb nutrients more efficiently and ultimately produce coffee of far higher quality.

A Scientific Approach to Fermentation

To ensure consistency and precision, the Rodriguez family works closely with scientists at their processing facilities. Fermentation is carefully monitored through continuous measurements of pH levels and microbial activity. By identifying and cultivating selected microorganisms, they are able to better control the fermentation process, resulting in greater stability, consistency, and quality throughout production.