Description

Mauricio Escalón was born into a coffee-growing family whose history began in the 1870s, when his great-grandfather Pedro José Escalón planted coffee in Santa Ana and founded El Molino, the first industrial coffee mill in El Salvador. After a difficult period caused by the coffee price crisis, Mauricio revived the family business by founding Cafescal in 2003, with a focus on specialty coffee. The name comes from “Cafés Escalón Calderón,” which combines his parents’ surnames.

Today, Cafescal operates 10 farms and 2 mills. Mauricio, an architect by training, now leads the agricultural operations.

The San José farm, located in the Ilamatepeq mountain range near Lake Coatepeque, features clay-rich volcanic soils and altitudes between 1400 and 1600 meters, creating ideal conditions for varieties such as Bourbon, Pacas, Parainema, Marsellesa, and Yellow Icatú, grown under orange-tree shade. The San José mill is also located there. The microclimate and soil produce coffees with bright acidity, complex flavors, and a clean finish.