Frequently Asked Questions

Central American Type Seda Beans.  We hand-select Farmers who plant specific varieties for us which have been quality controlled, tested and shipped to demanding customers such as Walmart.

Vertical integration.  We are not Traders or Brokers.  We contract directly with Farmers, clean & process those beans in our elevator, and ship directly to you, the wholesale distributor.

We exceed USDA No. 1 quality specifications.  We work with only the best varieties and Farmers of Seda type beans.  Our warehouse / processing facilities are also FDA Approved.

1. Every Farmer delivery to our bean elevator is checked for moisture (humidad), dirt tag, total defects, and foreign material.  We're not afraid to reject beans that do not meet the standards of our most demanding international customers.
2. Our quality control practices include multiple-day cook test for Cooking Time, Moisture, Texture, and consistency of Broth (caldo).  Testing includes the cooking & re-heating of our beans over the course of 1 week to mimic real-world use.
3. Our controls ensure "nice and soft" beans and excellent flavor.

Our partners and investors are US and South American based, who have been in the international Bean Business for 40 plus years. 

Some of our biggest advantages in the niche international market for Seda Beans (based on customer comments):

• We are experienced & independent professionals in the Edible Bean industry
• Consistent cooking time
• Consistent flavor
• Consistent size of our beans
• Consistent color and polishing
• Moisture control practices (hand selecting lots from experienced Farmers)
• Low foreign material
• Pest Control
• Better quality bag construction
• Better practices for palletizing & container loading
• Competitive pricing
• Quick ship time
• We keep our word

Traditional exporters in Nicaragua have lost credibility in recent years due to a number of factors:

• Unethical pricing practices
• Not honoring contracts 
• Unethical origin & quality certification practices
• Importing and re-exporting of Ethiopian beans as Nicaragua origin
• Poor quality control for moisture and pest mitigation
• Many processors open-air dry their beans on tarps in the sun.  This leads to inconsistent quality & pest issues.
• Complaints of short weighted bags.
• Seda beans are often traded or brokered through individuals who will ship the lowest priced beans they can find - lacking vertical integration or quality control.

• There has emerged a serious work-force shortage.  There are many stories of workers being available one week, then leaving the country the next.  This has negative long-term implications for price & availability.
• Regarding corruption, rumors suggest that government players may be involved with ownership conflicts of interest, price manipulation & money laundering of Nicaraguan agriculture.

It's not just about nostalgia.  Wholesale distributors know they are easier to sell!  Costa Ricans, El Salvadorians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Nicaraguans alike prefer the flavor, broth (caldo) and texture of traditional Seda Bean Varieties over those from the US, Canada, & Ethiopia, for example.  

Our beans perform the way Central American individuals & professional chefs want.