Budding coffee producers dreaming of shade-grown Benguet Arabica in the Cordillera range of mountains in the Philippines. Owned by Agnep Agri-Products Corp.
Home
Welcome to Agnep Heritage Farms.
Filmed August 2021
“Rooted in Tradition, Brewing the Future of Coffee”
Agnep Heritage Farms is owned by Agnep Agri-Products Corp.
We are budding coffee producers cultivating shade-grown Benguet Arabica Coffee. We envision planting coffee under the canopy of Benguet pine and Alnos trees. Shade grown coffeeis a way of growing coffee in concert with nature.
It is our goal to encourage a future generation of coffee growers in Benguet using sustainable agricultural processes.
Planting started May 24, 2018 with 1,000 seedlings from Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office of the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFO CAR)February 2020 : Coffee seedlings, planted on May 2018 on its second year. January 21, 2021 : Coffee planted in 2018 and 2019 are so tall nowFebruary 2022February 2022Our first harvest started in December 2020 but around only 20 kgs. We used sun drying but the rainy weather brought molds to the dried cherries. Our next bountiful harvest was from December 2021 until Apri;l 2022. We used the washed method for processing.
We are grateful to the Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office of the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFO CAR) through the Regional High Value Crop Development Program (HVCDP) Coordinator Joan Dimas-Bacbac for the coffee seedlings they provided for us since we started in 2018.
About us
Rooted in Tradition, Brewing the Future of Coffee
Agnep Heritage Coffee is a family-run coffee farm located in Balili, Mankayan, Benguet, at an elevation of 1,620 meters above sea level in the Cordillera Mountain Range of the Philippines. We are owned and managed by Agnep Agri-products Corp., a company built on the shared vision of restoring ancestral land through sustainable, high-quality coffee cultivation.
Our story began in January 2018 with a simple question: “What if we could grow coffee using our great-grandmother’s land?”
This question brought us back to our roots—literally. As we explored our ancestral property in Benguet, we realized it had all the natural elements ideal for coffee: elevation, volcanic soil, and a forest-like environment with shade from Benguet pine, Kalasan, and Alnus trees. In fact, our great-great-grandmother Agnep, a Bontoc native, once grew Typica coffee as early as 1906 in her backyard under that same canopy.
Years earlier, our grandmother Purita Hora-Dado and uncle Sean Luke Dado had planted Typica, Granica, and Red Bourbon trees on this land. The trees survived with little attention—and still bore cherries. That gave us the push to begin our coffee journey.
What We Grow
Today, we cultivate 9,967 Arabica trees across five hectares of forested ancestral land. Our focus varietals include Typica, Granica (Orange Bourbon), Catimor and Red Bourbon. Grown under shade using biodiverse agroforestry systems, our coffee benefits from natural soil health, pest resistance, and slow cherry maturation.
We produce small, traceable micro-lots using a combination of washed and anaerobic fermentation processes. Each batch is carefully sorted and processed to highlight varietal character and terroir. Our flavor profiles feature notes of milk tea, bergamot, raisin, jasmine, and caramel. We’re also conducting experimental lots—testing fermentation times, microbial activity, and drying conditions to refine our post-harvest practices and explore new expressions of Benguet-grown coffee.
How We Farm
We are proudly chemical-free. Inspired by Korean Natural Farming (JADAM), we use fermented plant extracts, compost, and local microbes to nourish the soil. Pest control is supported by a rich canopy of shade trees and native birdlife. All our work is done by hand by our team of 27 seasonal local workers, from planting to pulping. Every tree is individually tended, and every harvest is handled with care, because for us, coffee is not just a crop. It’s our connection to the land and to the future of the Cordillera.
Coffee berry borer traps
We have a few coffee berry borer traps in Phase 1 and 3.
Our Community Commitment
In 2023, we co-founded the Kabatangan Coffee Growers, a community-based initiative to extend shade-grown, sustainable coffee practices to neighboring smallholder farmers. Together, we’ve planted over 3,000 additional trees and offered training in planting, processing, and cooperative marketing.
We envision a future where Benguet coffee farmers earn fair prices for exceptional work, and where young people see a future in coffee, not just as laborers, but as innovators and entrepreneurs.
Where You’ll Find Us
Agnep Heritage Coffee is now available in select cafés such as Angkan Coffee Company and The Giving Café in Metro Manila. Our roasted beans can be ordered online through The Vault.ph and Shopee, and we sell green beans to roasters seeking distinctive highland profiles.
In 2022, our work was recognized internationally with a Bronze Medal at the Global Coffee Championships – Signature Coffee Award—a proud milestone for our young farm.
Our dream has always been to offer Philippine specialty coffee to the world, while creating lasting benefits for our community. We farm not just to produce, but to preserve, learn, share, and build something meaningful.
At Agnep Heritage Coffee, every cup tells a story of forest, family, and the future we’re growing in the highlands of Benguet.
(originally written by Lauren and Marielle in 2018 but edited by Noemi Dado in 2025 to update the latest news)
Our Mission
To be among Benguet’s leading producers of specialty coffee that grows sustainable, high-quality Arabica. We aim to be cost-competitive and aligned with global quality standards, while following environment-friendly growing processes. Through our farm, we want to provide sustainable benefits to farmers, processors, traders, exporters and consumers.
Core Values
Environmental responsibility. We value the environment where we grow our coffee. We will only use sustainable agricultural practices that preserve our forest system and maintain the productivity of the land over time.
Commitment to the community. We are committed to giving fair compensation for the work of our coffee farmers. We aim to educate and empower the next generation of coffee farmers in Benguet, so they can grow along with us and develop sustainable livelihoods of their own.
Continuous improvement. We strive to maintain high standards in everything we do, while improving our methods with practice. Through our culture of constant education, research, and growth, we aim to constantly refine our methods as we strive to make our Benguet arabica meet global standards.
We are grateful to Joey and Tess Dado, who paved the way to get our coffee seedlings from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office of the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFO CAR) through Joan Dimas-Bacbac.
Hidden among the lush forests of Benguet province lies a treasure trove of wild edible fruits, deeply woven into the fabric of local culture and cuisine. Grown under kalasan and other shade trees, these fruits thrive alongside our shade-grown coffee, enriching the region’s biodiversity. An ethnobotanical survey by Racquel Tan Chua-Barcelo identified 36 species spread …
We’re celebrating seven years of Agnep Heritage Coffee! It feels like just yesterday, we were publishing our first blog post, connecting with our early supporters, and sharing our passion for sustainable coffee. In our first post, we wrote: June 10, 2018 READ: Agnep pushes sustainability through its shade-grown coffee, Feature story in the Business World, …
👉 Pre-order now and experience the Agnep difference: https://benguetarabica.coffee/buy-our-coffee/ As the holidays approach, we’re feeling warm and cozy here at Agnep Heritage Farm. And we have just the thing to make your holidays even even cozier : single drip brew and Cascara tea alongside your old favorites, roasted coffee beans ! ✨ New and Festive! …
The coffee variety, ARABICA, is now officially in the Slow Food’s Ark of Taste as the number of trees in Benguet continue to dwindle. Many reasons contribute to its declining population, such as climate change, coupled with the diminishing interest of the younger generation to go into coffee farming. Read more?
Our farm is located in Balili, Mankayan, Benguet, Philippines at an elevation of 1620 meters above sea level. “Agnep Coffee Farm” is the registered business name of the Department of Trade and Industry. As of March 7, 2023, Agnep Heritage Farm or Agnep Coffee Farm (with FDA License: LTO-3000013365520 ) is owned by Agnep Agri-Products Corp.
As of the moment, we don’t conduct farm tours. Please contact Philippine Coffee Board for the schedule of farm visits.
For any inquiries on collaboration or partnerships, please contact us below:
