Tejao is a coffee produced by Mazatec indigenous people living in the Sierra de Flores Magón, in northern Oaxaca. The region produces one of the most in-demand coffees in Mexico and is notable for implementing ancestral production techniques with little to no use of agrochemicals.

Despite the high quality and demand for coffee from this region, Mazatec producers face challenges such as low prices from intermediaries, limited infrastructure, and small yields per hectare.

To support them, Ensambles (the importer) established a warehouse and coffee lab in Huautla de Jiménez in 2021. Their team provides year-round training, quality evaluation, and fair pricing to ensure farmers can continue producing exceptional coffee.

The name Tejao comes from the Mazatec word for Huautla, which is said to mean “12”, a reference to the first twelve families who settled in the area.

This is a new coffee sourced through Aïssatou a friend I made through the People of Colour in coffee events we’ve ran in London. Aïssatou is a really experienced coffee professional who worked as a roaster, then for a speciality importer before opening her own cafe. She now heads up Ensambles in the UK who this coffee is sourced from.

Suitable for: Cafetiere, Filter, Aeropress, and Espresso

Notes / Blackberry, Dried Fruits, Red Grapes

Producing Communities / Multiple producers from San Lucas Zoquiápam, San Antonio Eloxochitlán, Huautla de Jiménez

Region / Sierra Flores de Magón, Oaxaca

Altitude / 1,400 - 1,900 MASL

Variety / Typica, Bourbon

Process / Washed