A limited-edition coffee from Peru has arrived!

Where is this coffee from?

In Latin America, Honduras and Peru are typically viewed as producing mediocre and unreliable coffee. This reputation has caused the worth of coffee to decline, with the farmers having no financial incentive or support to improve agricultural practices.

However, our supplier, Falcon Coffee, saw the potential to increase the quality of the crop to match that of the superior coffee grown across Latin America. The altitude of the Andes, combined with rich volcanic soils and tropical rainfall, is ideal for producing high-quality Arabica.

They identified the issue as the post-harvesting procedures, as the farmers had not been trained in the proper precision to maximise their coffee quality. They knew this was the most crucial aspect to focus on to improve the coffee and increase its value; this way, the farmers would have financial support and motivation.

In 2018, Falcon Peru SARL was registered as an export company, and they opened a small warehouse with a QC lab in the northern coffee town of Jaen, Cajamarca. The lab provides them with the facilities to test the quality of the coffee themselves and grade them before exportation. Farmers can bring their dry parchment to the warehouse for analysis and taste their coffees for the first time. They are given a score for their coffee and offered a price they can accept or refuse. In 2019 and 2020, Falcon paid double the commercial rate for this coffee bought in Jaen, which means the farmers get a fairer price for their hard work. High Five!

How is this coffee processed?

This limited-edition brew has been sourced from Domingo Aguirre, where Domingo Ramos Aguirre Diaz owns 2 hectares of land. He grows various coffees, such as caturra, catuai, bourbon and pache. When it is time to harvest, Domingo and his family hand-pick the ripest cherries before placing them in a water tank to remove any floaters. The floating fruit is classed as defective or unripe and is removed before the beans are extracted. Once the cherries have been sorted, they are de-pulped (the coffee beans removed) and fermented in plastic bags under shade for 24-36 hours. Once complete, the coffee is washed and spread on mats to sundry on the ground for up to two weeks (weather dependent).

After Domingo has collected 15 quintals of parchment, he will arrange for the coffee to be collected and delivered to Falcon’s warehouse in Jaen. Here, it can be cupped and evaluated before being shipped and roasted by roasteries like Two Chimps Coffee!

How is the coffee industry in Peru expanding?

As of 2022, Falcon Coffee in Peru has 275 producers across 15 districts in Cajamarca, with three producer associations. With ten full-time employees, 5 of whom are female. They focused on improving their day-to-day operations and technical processes. This has further enhanced and developed the in-house facilities.

As most coffee comes from smallholders, some lack the proper drying infrastructure to dry the beans. To combat this issue, Falcon bought and installed drying facilities near the warehouse, which means this coffee can dry to the optimum moisture level and retain its quality, which would have been lost otherwise.

In Autumn 2022, Peru was selected as the first country to begin conducting in-depth field research into carbon emission at the farm level as part of their carbon project. This will allow them to recommend fertiliser and other agricultural practices to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the growing stage on these farms.

As a carbon-neutral roastery, this is an excellent step in the right direction; soon, we might be able to calculate the carbon footprint of your coffee’s entire journey and not be limited to the roasting & posting! Wahoo!