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We don't usually get to meet somebody who runs a multi-million dollar enterprise on our travels. We were introduced to the Aronsons by friends and had wondered what sort of house gift to give them. We'd thought of a package of specialty Costa Rican coffee, but couldn't find something special enough. Imagine our relief at having discarded that plan when we learned that we were being hosted by the head of the biggest premium coffee roaster in Costa Rica, Cafe Britt!

Cafe Britt coffee roasting building

Although Jan didn't know it at the time, she was already a customer of Cafe Britt. While staying at the Arenal Country Club Jan bought some decafeinated ground coffee for the coffee pot the condo provided. Only when we got to Heredia and somebody pointed it out did she realize that she had bought Britt coffee.

The start of The Coffee Tour

We are always interested in visiting factories and other places of work, so of course we asked if we could visit Cafe Britt's operations. Sure, we were told. Come down and take our coffee tour. We did just that, and spent a very amusing couple of hours accompanied by a small troupe of actors taking a witty look at the ins and outs of coffee growing, roasting, tasting, and packing.

Cafe Britt Packing Line

Packing the coffee is important to retain the freshness of the product until it gets to the customer's cupboard. Britt coffee is exported principally to the United States.

Climax of the Cafe Britt Tour

The tour ends with a visit to the Britt store and a taste of Britt's coffee liqueur. The Coffee Tour is quite a big operation, bringing in tourists from Mexico, South America, and of course the USA. To offer their visitors a complete experience, Cafe Britt also serves a buffet lunch in its indoor-outdoor dining area, a meal that ends of course with a nice cup of gourmet coffee.