What is the Lempira coffee varietal?

Lempira is a cultivar developed and distributed by IHCAFE, Honduras's national coffee institute, as part of the country's response to leaf rust threats. It's a Catimor-type hybrid derived from a Caturra × Catuai cross, characterised by rust resistance, compact stature, and high productivity.

Widely planted in Honduras, it's become one of the more common cultivars in the country's commercial production. It performs well across a range of altitudes and gives farmers a practical, disease-managed option where leaf rust pressure is significant.

In the cup, Lempira is capable of clean, commercially sound results at altitude - but it's not the variety Honduran specialty buyers get excited about. Its importance is agronomic: it gives farmers a viable, productive option under difficult disease conditions. The specialty lots that attract international attention from Honduras tend to come from traditional varieties like Bourbon and Caturra on farms where disease management has allowed them to survive.