In 1919 the Santa Isabel Coffee farm was inherited by the patriarch of the López family, Jacinto López. In 1941, the López family purchased the farm, La Viola and began expanding; little by little, growth was achieved. By 1947 the family business grew to become the largest growers of coffee in Nicaragua, seeing its increasing growth and potential.
The Nicaraguan Government then created a special program, aiding in the growth of coffee in the country. From 1961 forward, the philosophy was to continue cultivating and always offer coffee at the fairest price. In 1997, a new era begins as a new and younger face of Castellón Coffee takes control of the company.
John or “Johnny” (as he is known to those close to him) grew up on the family coffee farms since the age of four when his mother, (then a 32 year old widow) took over the reins, handling the entire business. As he got older, he fell in love completely with coffee and knew he would end up making this his career. He desired to carry on the family’s legacy.
John became a third generation in these Coffee dynasty and sought ways to improve the processes, while maintaining the integrity and philosophy of the family name. He was focused was on creating an environment, and culture which would be embraced by those working with them each day. John educated himself in new technologies and processes he could apply to improve the quality of his coffee and his business. They remained one of the largest coffee producers, rapidly growing.
In 1997, after studying Agriculture in Honduras, he was able to combine his academic education and modern theories of agriculture, with the time-honored traditions and passion of his family. He was able to aid in the family’s survival during this extremely trying time, where many other growers went completely out of business; by helping them diversify and evolve.
With his knowledge and natural charisma, Johnny became the “face” of his family brand. From his interaction in the farms to his traveling to coffee shows around the map, he seemed to mimic the career path of his great grandfather, but with innovation and technology in his favor.
Today, the family owns and operates on more than 2600 acres which represents an integrated vertical model, from bean to final product. As a company, they have over 1300 employees, thus, representing substantial economic impact in the country. They are recognized as pioneers for their influence in shifting the way the coffee business is both handled and viewed. The Castellón family have been a leading example, showing how a purveyor can handle coffee, from farm to cup, by always creating new and unique products.
Today, the Castellón family produces over 7 million pounds of coffee a year.
