Aida Batlle, Finca Kilimanjaro, El Salvador

Aida was toted by The New Yorker as “a fifth generation coffee farmer and a first generation coffee celebrity” with a “deeply peculiar” approach to farming. The first female to win a Cup of Excellence, she is closely involved at every aspect of the process; scrupulously ensuring the highest standards are upheld.

Aida Batlle is a fifth generation coffee producer operating her family's three farms: Finca Los Alpes, Finca Kilamanjaro, and Finca Mauritania, in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador. In 2003, Aida entered her first Cup of Excellence competition and won with Kilamanjaro. Coffees from the Batlle family farms, as well as Finca Tanzania, which Aida personally owns, and the farms under the Aida Batlle Selection (ABS) certification, have been showcased by national barista champions from Greece, South Korea, and the United States, among others, at WBC events over the years.