After visiting Café Britt today, I honestly think the company does a really good job of celebrating Costa Rican culture while also turning it into a really successful business and tourist experience. Throughout the tour, it was obvious how intentionally they market not just the coffee, but Costa Rica itself. Everything from the storytelling and visuals to the tasting stations and gift shop was designed to make people connect coffee with Costa Rican culture and nature. As a marketing major, it was really interesting noticing all the little psychological strategies they use throughout the experience. Even simple things, like peeling open the beans ourselves or constantly giving samples throughout the tour, made people feel more connected to the product before even buying anything. At times it definitely felt very tourist-focused, especially once we ended in the gift shop surrounded by promotions and products everywhere, but honestly I did not think it felt fake. It felt more like they found a smart way to turn something authentic into an experience people actually remember.
What stood out to me most was how much they connected the coffee back to Costa Rica’s environment and identity. They talked a lot about how the volcanic soil, climate, and elevation all affect the quality of the coffee, which made it feel like the product was directly tied to the country itself. I also thought it was really interesting hearing about all the challenges that come with international expansion, especially with shipping logistics, taxes, and entering different markets like Mexico and the Middle East. Seeing how many countries Café Britt has expanded into while still keeping Costa Rica at the center of the brand honestly made the company feel more genuine to me. Overall, I think Café Britt lifts up Costa Rican culture more than it waters it down because instead of trying to copy giant global coffee brands, they lean into what makes Costa Rica unique and use that as the foundation of the entire experience.