The Montero Family Coffee Story starts with Marianela’s great grandparents Rafael Montero and Emilia Picado. Rafael and Emilia worked within the coffee industry in the town of El Llano de la Piedra in Tarrazu, Costa Rica.
Rafael and Emilia’s son, Eli Montero (Marianela’s grandfather) worked in the coffee farms too. As a teenager, Eli’s opportunities for education were limited. He worked in the coffee fields with don Emigdio Mata, one of the men who owned a number of coffee plantations in Dota and Tarrazu. In working with Emigdio Mata, Eli Montero acquired 30 years of experience.