Coffee producer Francisco R.R. de Sola wasn’t originally into coffee agriculture. In fact, he worked for the Sola Group for 48 years, investing in a wide range of services and products across El Salvador. It was in 2015, just before retirement, that he decided to plant coffee in Plan del Hoyo, and has had assistance from the El Salvador Agricultural Department. The farms history, and Francisco R.R.’s journey is rich in history. The farm land was purchased by his father, Francisco de Sola Maduro, back in 1957, and primarily used for angus cattle with a dabble of fruits and birds. However, Francisco R.R. and his sister Susana were forced to sell the cattle and leave El Salvador when civil war occurred in 1980. Once the peace accords were signed, Francisco R.R. took leadership of the farm and turned the focus to wood production.

But the story of Plan del Hoyo doesn’t end there. In 2005, the Lamatepec Volcano erupted, forcing Plan del Hoyo to diversify its crops. His most recent endeavor was the cultivation of coffee, from 2015, and his work has been recognised by roasters ever since. If you need proof of this farm’s value, look to 2023 COE results.

Francisco R.R. views improvements in quality and in production as two individual elements, and strives to improve on both in an ongoing manner. Plan del Hoyo is said to be an unbelievably beautiful farm and a great escape from the city life. Francisco R.R. and Susana like to invite roasters to visit them, and see the work they have done over not just their coffee lifetime, but its full history.