Finca Maputo was named after the city where Verena and Henry first met while working for Doctors Without Borders in Mozambique. After many years of work in West Africa, the couple moved to Ecuador, Henry's home country, where they opened a clinic just north of Quito.
After settling in Ecuador, Verena and Henry developed an interest in growing coffee. Once their clinic was well established in 2011, they began their coffee venture.
Maputo is now one of Ecuador's finest specialty coffee producers. Verena and Henry's methodical approach to farming has earned them recognition in both national and international markets, with multiple awards from Taza Dorada and Cup of Excellence. They have inspired many others to begin producing coffee. The farm is located in the western foothills of the Andes, 2 hours northwest of Quito. It sits between 1,300 and 1,500 meters above sea level and is surrounded by protected cloud forests.
The climate is very humid with high rainfall, which creates challenges for drying coffee and producing honey-processed coffees. To address this, Maputo uses a mechanical heat dryer to ensure proper humidity levels before stabilisation.
Maputo is divided into three main plots: Maputo 1, which surrounds Verena and Henry's house and contains the washing, pulping, and drying stations; Hakuna Matata, which was acquired more recently; and Rancho Tio Emilio, which is owned by Henry's brother but managed by Verena and Henry.