We first met Diego Rogel in 2024, just as he and his family began planting diverse Arabica coffee varieties across their 12-acre farm in Zaruma, Ecuador. With a focus on preserving natural shade and crop diversity, Diego also built a gravity-fed irrigation system supplied by a natural reservoir at the farm’s highest point. Two years later, that vision produced its first harvest, and in 2026, Z Beans proudly purchased Diego’s first 30 quintals—approximately 3,000 pounds—of coffee. Since then, Diego has worked closely with Arturo to refine his fermentation and post-harvest methods, driven by a commitment to continually improve the quality of his coffee. From watching the first trees take root to purchasing the farm’s first harvest, we are proud to grow alongside Diego and his family—and we believe their best coffee is still ahead.