Coffee was brought to Mexico by the Spanish in the late 18th century, yet its farming and commercialization flourish decades later. In fact, it was after the Mexican Revolution, when coffee production truly started to increase. Coffee plantations expanded among the coffee growing regions and farmers began to invest in coffee cultivation and development.
In 1973 the National Coffee Institute of Mexico, INMECAFE, was formed to increase and support coffee farming in the country. This organization offered farmers with technical aid and guaranteed purchases by working closely with the International Coffee Agreement (ICA) to sell Mexican coffee on the international market.
INMECAFE helped increase coffee production, but due to government debt the organization closed its doors in 1989. Cooperatives were formed to replace INMECAFE. They were and still are providing technical assistance, transportation, processing, marketing and education to growers. They pushed and encouraged farmers to decrease the use of fertilizers and share information regarding organic certification. Cooperatives not only have become powerful players in the organic coffee industry, they are a model of civic organization and social movement.
Mexico is one of the pioneers in producing Fair Trade and Organic Coffee. Farmers have become immersed in producing prime Organic Coffee. In fact, in the year 2000 Mexico produced around 50% of all of the Organic Coffee worldwide. Mexican coffees vary in flavor from region to region, but overall they are well-balanced coffees, with a clean cup, light body, complex citric acidity and stable sweetness. Today, Mexico is gaining attention for following sustainable practices and producing a high-quality coffee. Mexican coffee is becoming a favorite among coffee connoisseur.