In 2021, Costa Rica exported over $370 million of coffee. If you are one of the many people in the US who love Costa Rican coffee, you need to shop with Cafe Britt.

Cafe Britt specializes in gourmet coffee. We have been sourcing and roasting all our coffee beans in Costa Rica for more than 30 years.

Our customers love our Habitat line for a reason, and not just because our blends are delicious. With these coffees, we are keeping Costa Rica wild and paying tribute to the workers who protect the wildlife native to Costa Rica.

The latest edition of our Habitat line is the Lapa Blend, inspired by the native Costa Rican red lapa. Learn more about our new release in this post.

HABITAT LAPA BLEND PRODUCTION PROCESS

At Cafe Britt, we partner with local Costa Rican coffee bean farms. Our partners hand-pick only the best beans, so you can enjoy gourmet flavors with no comparison.

We wanted to add something special to our Lapa Blend. So, we roasted the beans to their limit, bringing out their naturally sweet flavors. This dark roast also features subtle notes of almonds for an unforgettable experience.

OUR HABITAT LAPA BLEND PROMISE

With every cup of our Habitat Lapa Blend, you are not just getting a delicious sip. You are also supporting the wildlife preservation efforts of the Nama Conservatory.

The Nama Conservatory's mission is to protect the native scarlet macaw, also known as the red lapa. The conservatory also educates the public and supports local biologists in their mission to preserve this endangered species.

In support of the Nama Conservatory's mission, we are donating 1,000 educational books to schools across Costa Rica. We are also providing artificial nests and wildlife cameras to help with research on these majestic birds.

ALL ABOUT THE RED LAPA

Costa Rica is leading the way in red lapa conservation efforts. Learn more about the colorful birds that inspired our Lapa Blend below.

WHAT IS THE RED LAPA?

The red lapa (Ara macao) is the native Costa Rican name for the scarlet macaw. Costa Rica is home to different species of macaw, which are a type of parrot. The second one is the green macaw or green lapa.

Scarlet macaws are large, colorful birds native to humid areas like the tropics. They have bright red, yellow, and blue feathers. You can identify a scarlet macaw from a green macaw by the green feathers at the tips of its wings.

The green macaw (Ara abigus) has a similar body, head, and beak. The difference is that these birds feature mostly green feathers with splashes of blue, red, and yellow on their wings.

WHERE DO RED LAPAS LIVE?

Red lapas live all over the Americas. They enjoy humid environments, such as forests, wetlands, and even tree-filled urban areas. As such, they are most commonly found in the following countries:

The scarlet macaw is also the national bird of Honduras, a country in Central America. Red lapas are native to the Costa Rican regions of Puntarenas, Esparza, Cambronero, Desmonte, Acosta, La Cangreja, and Parrita.

In fact, some experts believe that the largest population of scarlet macaws in the world live in and around Carara National Park. This park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.

WHAT DO RED LAPAS EAT?

Red lapas eat what we would call a vegan diet. They enjoy snacking on fruits, seeds, leaves, and flowers. But their favorite food may surprise you: tree bark.

These birds enjoy eating the bark from a wide variety of trees. These include teak trees, beach almonds, ojoches, and javillos. Their favorite trees are gallinazo and royal palm trees.

Perhaps one of the reasons scarlet macaws love tree bark so much is that they build their nests in them. Red lapas prefer to build their nests in gallinazos, ceibos, and ojoche trees.

ARE RED LAPAS ENDANGERED?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the scarlet macaw as a "least concern." That means they do not consider it endangered.

However, countries throughout the Central and South Americas do classify the red lapa as endangered. The parrot trade, aviculture, and mass deforestation of the red lapas habitat have nearly wiped out the local species.

Recently, the US Fish and Wildlife Service joined these countries. In 2019, the group announced its plan to list the red lapas as an endangered species.

GET THE BEST GOURMET COSTA RICAN COFFEE FROM CAFE BRITT

If you love Costa Rican coffee, try our latest release. The Habitat Lapa Blend features notes of chocolate and cinnamon with subtle hints of almonds. Importantly, purchases of this dark roast help with Costa Rican preservation efforts of the majestic red lapa bird. Also known as the scarlet macaw, the red lapa is an endangered species in Costa Rica.

Are you searching for the perfect dark roast to add to your morning coffee lineup? Cafe Britt's Habitat Lapa Blend is the flavor experience you've been dreaming about. Pick up a bag from Cafe Britt today!