Our Story

Ellyar grew up in extreme poverty in a rural village in the mountains of western Guatemala.  At an elevation of 6,000 feet, Agua Dulce sits in the bottom of a valley with impressive mountains rising on each side.  Ellyar spent his childhood hiking up and down these mountains picking and processing coffee beans.  His mom managed to raise Ellyar and his siblings in extreme poverty through love and perseverance.  Ellyar developed a desire to work hard and find a way to help his family overcome poverty.

As an adult, Ellyar worked for several years and saved money to buy a plot of his own coffee land in Agua Dulce.  He now lives in Vancouver, Washington.  His wife, Deanna, is a teacher in the Battle Ground School District and they have three children who enjoy family trips to Guatemala to play with their cousins in the "land of eternal spring".

Guate Cafe is the product of a childhood dream to overcome poverty and an empowering symbol of Ellyar's journey.  Ellyar takes pride in his coffee, the care that each plant receives from the moment it is planted, until it is harvested, through the roasting process and to your coffee cup.  Ellyar, along with his family, hope you enjoy Guate Cafe.

 Ellyar roasts his coffee in small batches so that you are always receiving the freshest coffee. He roasts the dark roast to 440 degrees and the medium roast to 415 degrees.

The eight acres of Guate Café coffee land is directly above the town’s plaza.