“Our mission statement and core values oblige us to get involved and make a difference. Let's change the world while we still have time. We’re trying to do it by example.”

— Pablo Vargas, CEO and Chairman, Café Britt.

Our History

Café Britt was founded in 1985 as the first gourmet coffee roaster in Costa Rica.  Before Café Britt, it was virtually impossible to find a memorable cup of coffee in Costa Rica,  though we were growing some of the world’s most outstanding coffee beans. The simple fact was that the best coffee was being exported.

We recognized and harnessed the opportunity to create great change in the Costa Rican coffee industry by reserving and roasting some of our own beans.  We had all the ingredients for success: access to quality gourmet coffee beans from the country’s best plantations, the finest mills, knowledgeable roasters, an obsession with quality, and a desire to create an environmentally responsible coffee company.

The result of our efforts has been remarkable. Café Britt is thriving and has introduced millions to the finest Costa Rican coffee while advancing our local communities and protecting our precious environment. 

Our Coffee Tour

We opened our plantation to the public in 1991 and created a fun, insightful, and exciting way to experience the journey of true gourmet coffee from a red cherry to that irresistible brew you sip each morning. Café Britt was thrilled to share the hidden gem of Costa Rican gourmet coffee along with our Costa Rican heritage with visitors and tourists from near and far.

Our plantation and coffee tour have become one of Costa Rica’s major tourist attractions, welcoming over one million visitors, from amateurs and student groups to coffee lovers and business travelers. We welcome the opportunity to share our passion. 

Sustainable & Responsible

Our enthusiasm and respect for our culture, nature, people, and quality are at the heart of Café Britt. We believe that societal and environmental issues are too important to be left only for laws and governments. Though we want to maximize shareholder value, we also want to help our society find sustainable ways of doing business. Café Britt wants to make a difference.

Environment & Ecosystem-Friendly

We were pioneers in the organic coffee movement in Costa Rica, and we continue to offer organic coffee. We support sustainable agriculture techniques that preserve both the livelihood of coffee bushes as well as the quality of coffee beans. Café Britt uses only what is necessary to encourage the development of a natural plantation ecosystem and help combat coffee pests, providing much of the benefits of organic farming with less risk and lower energy costs.

Our plantation is also compliant with international environmental standards. By maintaining an ISO certification, an internationally recognized system for assuring quality, all of our suppliers, customers, and coworkers can measure our impact on the environment.

People and Partners

Café Britt pays coffee growers above-market prices for their premium quality crops, but we expect them–and help them–to commit to Café Britt’s social and environmental standards. Regularly, we perform market comparisons to ensure we pay over-market salaries to our employees, and we encourage training and employee development so our employees may learn and grow with the company.

Our Community

Café Britt works to extend our efforts and service beyond our industry. Our employees undertake projects to improve our schools and communities, reforest lands, and improve parks. We also work with Costa Rica’s Ministry of the Economy and the Technical Institute to help Costa Rican artisans improve their production processes and product quality. We sell many of these improved arts and crafts in our stores together with our renowned coffees. Visit us to experience and discover what we call “sense of place”.