The Ruiz-Arauz family started their journey in the coffee farming world in Palmira, District of Boquete, back in 1979. However, their roots in coffee cultivation go back much further. Don Plinio Ruiz Gonzalez had been nurturing a small coffee farm in Jaramillo Arriba, Boquete, since the 1930s. In 1964, he and Doña Elisa decided to expand their coffee business and chose Palmira not just for its productivity, but also for its suitability for processing and drying coffee. Their farm in Jaramillo often faced heavy "bajareque" drizzles, making it difficult to dry their high-quality coffee properly. Seeking a better spot for their operations, they moved to Palmira.

This move led them to acquire several farms, including one of their smallest, Finca La Vanguardia. This farm was named by Plinio Sr's late mother, inspired by her largest farm in Palo Alto, near what is now Kotowa farm. Since 2021, Don Plinio Ruiz Jr. and his family have been cultivating Pacamara and red Catual varieties at La Vanguardia. With an average altitude of 1,100 meters above sea level, combined with meticulous farming practices and sun drying, they have achieved impressive results, producing delightful coffee cups from their lots.