[Video Guide] From Fireflies to Flavor: Inside Costa Rica’s Finca La Candelilla with Ricardo Sánchez Jr.

When you think of Costa Rican coffee, you’re thinking of passion, precision, and deep family roots — and nowhere is that more evident than at Finca La Candelilla, one of the country’s most celebrated coffee farms. In a recent visit, Volcanica Coffee’s buyer, Aaron Contreras, sat down with Ricardo Sánchez Jr., the next-generation visionary carrying forward his family’s legacy.

La Candelilla’s story began in 1972, when Ricardo’s grandparents bought a piece of land glowing with fireflies during the harvest season — inspiring the name “La Candelilla,” meaning firefly. What started as a family farm soon became a trailblazer in Costa Rica’s coffee industry. In 2000, the Sánchez family established the first micromill in the country, setting a new standard for traceability, quality, and innovation.

“Our goal has always been to produce coffee with integrity,” Ricardo explained. “That’s why we built our new cupping lab — to improve quality control, test new varieties, and experiment with processing methods like washed, honey, and natural.”

Finca La Candelilla is known for its meticulous approach to natural processing, a method that uses varying levels of fruit fermentation to achieve unique flavor profiles. Ricardo described how they fine-tune each batch:

• Light natural: notes of dried fruit.

• Medium natural: rich, ripe fruit flavors.

• Heavy natural: deep, fermented fruit complexity.

“Each year we’re trying to improve our process,” Ricardo said. “We cup the coffee only when it’s perfectly ready — timing is everything.”

Beyond the farm and the cupping table, Ricardo emphasized the importance of relationships. “It’s very important for me to have a good connection with roasters. I like to talk with them — to understand what they want and if we’re doing things right. Sometimes they even ask for custom processes.”

La Candelilla’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. The farm has won the Sintercafé Cup competition twice, earned Cosecha de Oro, and placed second in the Cup of Excellence, one of the coffee world’s most prestigious awards.

As Aaron wrapped up their visit, he reflected on what makes La Candelilla so special — not just the coffee, but the people behind it. “It’s amazing to see how tradition and innovation come together here. You can taste that passion in every cup.”

At Volcanica Coffee, we’re proud to share this heritage with coffee lovers around the world. Try our Costa Rica La Candelilla Estate Coffee and experience the brilliance of Costa Rican craftsmanship in every sip.

Full Video Transcript: 

"Aaron: I’m Aaron Contreras, your coffee buyer at Volcanica Coffee. And today, we’re in conversation with the next visionary behind the magic at Finca La Candelilla — Ricardo Sánchez Jr.

Ricardo, thanks for sitting down and talking with me today. So, tell me a little bit about La Candelilla. What’s the history behind this place?

Ricardo: In 1972, my grandparents bought this coffee plantation. They named this land La Candelilla. “Candelilla” means firefly. During the nights of November and December, there used to be a lot of fireflies. All the families had the idea to start a micromill.

Aaron: So you guys made the choice to produce higher-quality coffee really early on.

Ricardo: Yes, we started as the first micromill here in Costa Rica. The year 2000 was the first year that we produced coffee. Since then, we’ve made a lot of improvements — like this room that we’re in right now.

Aaron: This is the new cupping lab, right? Why did you guys build this?

Ricardo: We wanted to have better quality control — to do investigations of new varieties and to experiment with variations of the traditional processes: washed coffee, honey process, and natural process. We want to ensure the quality we produce every year. That’s why we built this laboratory — to cup, to talk a little bit about our coffee, to drink something together.

Aaron: You were mentioning earlier about natural processing. It’s almost like it’s a dialed-in approach.

Ricardo: Yes. We can do different profiles of natural, each with different attributes. We have the light natural process, which has dried fruit notes. Then we have a medium-intensity natural coffee with ripe fruit attributes. And finally, the heaviest natural, which brings out fermented fruit attributes. Each year we’re trying to improve our processes.

Aaron: When are you going to cup these coffees out here? Are you already tasting them? Do you already know what they’ll taste like?

Ricardo: No, I have to wait until they’re ready. It really comes down to making sure we’re turning the coffee at the right time. When the coffee’s ready, that’s when we cup it.

Aaron: So are you guys involved in the sales process too?

Ricardo: Yes, we have a relationship with both the final consumers and the roasters.

Aaron: So you know who’s drinking it?

Ricardo: Yes. For me, it’s very important to have a good relationship with the roasters. I like to talk with them — to know if we’re doing things well, if they want another coffee, or if they’d like a custom process. I really enjoy those conversations.

Aaron: Are there any awards that your coffee has received?

Ricardo: Yes. We’ve won the cup competition at Sintercafé twice, we’ve also received Cosecha de Oro, and we’ve placed second in the Cup of Excellence.

Aaron: Well, thanks for sitting down with me, Ricardo. It was a pleasure getting to know you and Finca La Candelilla a little more. I can’t wait to come back here next year.

Ricardo: You’re welcome. Whenever you want — thank you for coming."