Coffee was first cultivated in Peru mid 17th century, and since then, the evolution of this product has gone through ups and downs until it has become one of the country´s main agricultural export products currently.

This South American country ranked world 5th in arabica coffee production according to data from the ICO (International Coffee Organization) in coffee year 21/22 and is also one of the largest producer and exporter of organic coffee, with a considerable amount of Fairtrade or Rainforest certified farms.

Under these certifications, Peruvian coffee has positioned itself as a coffee that is committed to caring for the environment as well as guaranteeing good working conditions for all workers involved in coffee production.

Coffee in Peru is mainly grown east of the Andes Mountains, which stretches the country from north to south, and where different climate and altitude conditions can be found, giving rise to coffees with assorted sensorial profiles. Coffee trees grow 90% under shade, with the Typica variety being the most cultivated. Caturra, Catimor or Bourbon are also present in the farms, although to a lesser extent.

Traditionally, the washed process is the most commonly used, although special natural process lots and microlots can also be found.

As other producing countries, in Peru we generally find small farms ranging from 0.5 to 5 hectares, where more than 230,000 producers throughout the country focus their efforts to obtain high quality coffees.

The right combination of climate, soil and altitude is essential for the production of specialty coffees. Besides, Peruvian producers take good care of their coffee trees. Selective picking and careful processing of the cherries are the final steps in a process that results in exceptional profiles from this South American country.

Peru´s coffee-growing regions are usually divided into three main zones: the northern, central and southern zones.

NORTHERN ZONE: in this region we find the highest percentage of hectares dedicated to coffee growing in the country. The main departments are Amazonas, Cajamarca, Piura and San Martin. With farms between 900 and 2000 masl approximately, these are regions with great differences in sensorial terms, although in general they stand out for their fragrance, good body and medium/high acidity.

CENTRAL ZONE: Huánuco, Junín and Pasco are the departments with the greatest dedication to coffee growing in the central region. Grown at lower altitudes than in the north, the coffees from the central region are generally medium acidity coffees with a good balance of body, aroma and flavour.

SOUTHERN ZONE: coffee production in the southern zone is mainly concentrated in the departments of Cuzco, Ayacucho and Puno. With many assorted profiles, their coffees stand out for their sweetness, good body and medium acidity.

Since the beginning, coffee production in Peru has traditionally been in the hands of small producers who usually travelled long distances to sell their coffee. This meant that coffee sometimes changed ownership several times, increasing the risk of loss of traceability.

The consolidation of producers into cooperatives and associations over the last years has greatly contributed to improve this situation, leading to a traceable and organised trading system. Many of these organisations export their coffees directly, and the larger ones also provide training, financing, etc. that members can invest in improving the quality and efficiency of their crops and obtain better prices in the market.

Our frequent visits to this Andean country have enabled us to build strong links with a large number of cooperatives located in different departments throughout the country. In accordance with the harvest time, each season we start receiving the first harvested lots in our warehouses in July, while by the end of October or beginning of November the microlots with a more complex sensorial profile from the highest areas are unloaded.

In recent years, Peru has achieved a good position in the specialty coffee market. The union of small coffee growers in cooperatives and the countless projects to achieve quality, sustainable and competitive coffees have been the driving force behind the improvement of coffee growing in this country, which is also one of the top ranked in the world market for certified coffees.

As in other areas, new generations of coffee growers are using new technologies and continuous training to move forward and remain firmly positioned in the specialty coffee markets, which gives us a perspective that we will continue to enjoy excellent sensorial profiles from Peru.