‘Road to Asu Coffee Fest’ is a five-part storytelling series by The Ascunción Times, leading up to the lively Asu Coffee Fest, Paraguay’s premier coffee celebration on July 12 and 13 2025. Guided by Sol and Diego, two passionate coffee enthusiasts exploring the heart of Paraguay’s specialty coffee scene, this series combines exclusive one-on-one interviews, and experiential storytelling. Join Sol Orrabalis in Episode 3: The story of Alejandro Murcia and Rafa Díaz, two foreign visionaries who transformed Paraguay’s coffee culture.
When specialty coffee was still an emerging concept in Paraguay, two names began to resonate among baristas, entrepreneurs, and curious consumers: Alejandro Murcia and Rafael Díaz. They came from Colombia and El Salvador, respectively, but found in Paraguay fertile ground to share their passion for coffee.
Today, just days away from Asu Coffee Fest 2025, their work is taking centre stage. Both have trained dozens, to become professionals. These professionals now lead the Asunción coffee scene. This is the two barristas’ story.
Global competition to a dead-end street
Alejandro Murcia arrived in Paraguay seven and a half years ago, after winning an AeroPress competition in Colombia. That win took him to the World Cup in South Korea. There, he received an offer to come to Asunción. He was invited to work as a barista and develop courses.
“There was coffee consumption, but people still needed a lot of guidance on how to prepare it. I felt I could do something else,” he says.
Thus was born Kaffetario, a joint project, followed by El Cafetero, Alejandro’s current coffee shop. It opened in December 2020 in a refurbished old house in Barrio Jara. Although the location, a dead-end street, raised doubts, one anecdote dispelled fears.
“One very cold day, I saw from the bar a line of ten to twelve people waiting for a table. The place was full. That was when we knew we were doing something right.”
El Cafetero stands out not only for its coffee, but also as an ideal space to work, meet, and relax. Since 2021, the café has grown from a team of six, to three locations with more than 30 employees. Alejandro is committed to buying directly from small producers without intermediaries. He has worked on projects such as Café Guarania, and in the past, he even took their beans to Colombia to analyse samples in a laboratory.
“The quality of the bean is just as important as dignifying the work of those who grow it,” he concludes.
The Salvadoran who professionalised the sector
Rafael Enrique Díaz, better known as Rafa Díaz, arrived in Paraguay nine years ago. He came from El Salvador, where he trained as a coffee technician and barista since 2009. He arrived with the mission of joining Kafa, the country’s first specialty coffee roastery.
“My goal was to move the industry, to sell coffee without sugar, and for people to drink it like that,” he recalls.
However, Rafa soon realised that beyond selling, it was necessary to educate. That is how his vocation as an educator was born. “I always liked sharing what I knew. I did not see it as giving classes, but as telling people what I was doing.”
During the pandemic, he began livestreaming on social networks, and selling coffee. In 2021, he founded his current project: Movimiento Café, a barista school and specialised shop. Unlike traditional academies, Rafa focuses on personalised courses for four to six people. At his school, learning is deep and tailored to each group.
One of the most important aspects of his work is Movimiento Café’s national reach. Rafa has taught in cities such as Encarnación, Ciudad del Este, Pilar, Caaguazú, and Coronel Oviedo.
“Training baristas allows me to reach the whole country,” he says proudly. Rafa also offers catering services for events and technical advice to coffee shops. Furthermore, he will soon launch his own roasted coffee.
The rise of the coffee geeks
Both Rafa and Alejandro agree that Paraguay is experiencing a unique moment in its coffee culture. “There is a big increase in people buying beans and equipment to make coffee at home. We are moving from instant to filtered methods very quickly,” says Alejandro.
“All the premium brands in the world are now available here,” Rafa adds. “Coffee roasting is no longer just for a few.”
Even so, the challenge is great: international visibility. “The thing is, world barista competitions are very expensive. Imagine a Paraguayan barista giving a speech with some words in Guaraní at an international competition. It would be something historic,” Rafa says.
Both are training the new generation of baristas from their respective fields. Alejandro does it from his own shops, training collaborators from scratch. Rafa insists on discipline and practice as keys to professional growth.
Asu Coffee Fest, a must-attend event
Both Alejandro Murcia, and Rafa Díaz will be at the Asu Coffee Fest, held at July 12 and 13 2025. Alejandro, who has already participated six times, wants to focus on coffee growing and consumer awareness. “Beyond the taste, it is about dignifying the work in the field.”
Rafa is in charge of the festival’s educational curatorship: workshops, competitions, and training. International baristas will attend, including a Brazilian guest who will offer courses after the festival.
As espresso machines whistle and the aroma of coffee fills the streets, their story continues. This is not just the story of two foreign experts. It is the story of how specialty coffee took root in Paraguay and began to flourish.
For more information find El Cafetero on Instagram, and Movimiento Café on Instagram.
Also read ‘Road to Asu Coffee Fest’ Episode 2: Tótem Tostadores’ Expert Roast Fuels Paraguay’s Coffee Renaissance.
