Diego did not choose to be a coffee farmer, life chose for him. Although he had imagined to one day take over the farm from his father, Gilberto Baraona, he did not think it would come so soon. Despite little to no experience in the coffee industry, Diego set asides his personal ambitions to continue to legacy of his family. Los Pirineos has accrued dozens of awards and recognitions meaning there was a lot at stake for Diego. Above all, in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic, there was little to no outside support to guide Diego. The support he got came from the inside, from the loyalty of his team to his father. The same people that saw Diego grow up as a little boy now showed him the ropes of one of the most complex farming operations in El Salvador. As a wise young man Diego observed patiently for one or two years before applying a fresh vision to the farm in all it’s aspects. Now, four years later, the farm shines brighter than ever and Diego is literally picking the cherries of the seeds sown by his father.
Diego's father: Gilberto Baraona
The legacy of Los Pirineos now continues under Diego’s watchful eye. With dozens of different exotic varieties in full production as well as over 80 different types in observation. Up to twenty different processing methods are mapped and perfected to be applied to any variety of Diego’s choosing. Beyond those exotic varieties brought from all over the world, there is also the homegrown Pacamara that was developed in the farm and now exclusively distributed around the world as certified seeds under Diego’s supervision.
Coffee seedlings planted by Gilberto in 2018.
Situated on top of a extinct volcano a never ending breeze created a microclimate for both growing and drying coffee that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The taste of Los Pirineos is incredibly diverse yet with a signature clarity and intensity. This is product of a legacy maintained through the bravery of a young Diego that became a coffee farmer before he knew it.
Bram personal note.
I met Diego’s father, Gilberto, in December 2018 and was humbled to be hosted on his world famous farm. The guest book is filled with names I looked up to at the time in still do today. To be able to step into the footsteps of such impactful people in the coffee industry was a huge milestone in my career. Los Pirineos is perhaps the most photographed farm in the world of coffee and I was proud to capture a photograph of my own. In those early days of my career I was set to work with Gilberto and his coffees and although I had no experience myself, he entrusted me to represent his coffees. If it was not for his trust I probably would not have written this piece, six year later. The trust that Gilberto had in me, was the same trust I had in Diego when he took over after his father passed away. Diego lived up to those expectations and surpassed my expectations for his management of the farm. Today we connect far beyond coffee and share a passion for endurance sports, a visit to Los Pirineos is not complete with a run through the coffee fields.
Excited to learn more about Diego, check out the links below or follow Los Pirineos on Instagram.