The worldwide drop in coffee prices and the rising demand for products linked to original characteristics have led actors in the coffee sector to develop new ways to differentiate their products and access new markets. These strategies require international legitimacy - which geographical indication may be able to provide. This case study looks at Costa Rican coffee - one of the country's main exports and sources of growth. It focuses on how coffee is currently marketed, and how it might be labelled in the future. It discusses the possibility of establishing a geographical indication for Costa Rican coffee as a way to sustain its quality, reputation and premium price, in a context of liberalization and free trade agreements. It focuses particularly on two coffee-producing areas, Orosí and Santa Maria de Dota, where an action-research project is currently under way.