U.S. House of Representatives Selects 100% Puerto Rican Coffee for Congress
September 7 - 2025
Coffee Geography Magazine
In a landmark moment for Puerto Rican agriculture, the halls of the U.S. House of Representatives will soon be energized by a taste of the island. The U.S. House has awarded a contract to Finca de Las Marías, ensuring that 100% Puerto Rican coffee will be served in its offices, a significant honor that places the island’s produce at the heart of American governance.
The exclusive contract is for the Congressional Reserve Blend, a special formula of Limani Arabica coffee grown on the Panorama Farm in the mountainous region of Las Marías. The farm is owned by Angelique Sina, a businesswoman whose story is as rich as her coffee. At 36 years old, Sina represents a new generation of farmer, one deeply connected to the Puerto Rican diaspora. After living for twelve years in Washington, D.C., she returned to her homeland with a clear mission.
Angelique Sina
“I returned to Puerto Rico committed to investing, generating impact, and demonstrating that from our island we can export excellence and our roots to the world,” Sina stated, framing her work as both an agricultural and a cultural endeavor.
She acquired Panorama Farm in 2021 with the express goal of rescuing and revitalizing the coffee-growing traditions of western Puerto Rico. For Sina, this project is about much more than commerce; it is a return to fundamental values. “This project was born to return to the basics: working the land, creating purpose-driven businesses, and sowing the future,” she explained. Drawing inspiration from companies like Patagonia, she believes deeply that business can be a powerful catalyst for good. In line with this philosophy, 100 percent of the net profit from her coffee sales is reinvested into educational programs through the non-profit Friends of Puerto Rico.
The official unveiling of the Congressional Reserve Blend was a celebratory event. The coffee was presented at The Coffee Showcase, an event organized by Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner, Pablo José Hernández Rivera. Held in the Rayburn House Office Building, the event transformed a congressional space into a vibrant Mini Farmers’ Market and Tasting Station, featuring not only the new exclusive coffee but also an array of other local products from the island. Members of Congress, farmers, coffee shop owners, and local brand representatives gathered to sample the blend, marking a unique fusion of policy, commerce, and culture.
For Resident Commissioner Hernández Rivera, the contract is a catalyst for broader change. “This is a key moment for Puerto Rico’s coffee industry,” he declared, seizing the opportunity to outline a concrete plan for federal support. To capitalize on this achievement, he announced he is promoting three key actions: expanding USDA support for Puerto Rican coffee growers by classifying the crop as "specialty"; allocating federal funds directly to local cooperatives to help them process and export with added value; and adapting federal disaster assistance programs to better suit the island’s unique geographic realities.
This single contract, therefore, represents far more than a shipment of coffee. It is a symbol of pride, a testament to a growing social enterprise movement on the island, and a potent catalyst for economic development, all brewing together in a cup destined for the U.S. Congress.