PERU ORGANIC JAEN COLASAY FERNANDEZ BLEND – #2 – 32917 – GrainPro Bags – SPOT SEAFORTH

Coffee Background

Regional Details

In Peru the bulk of coffee production comes from small farms owned and managed by people who follow organic farm management practice attuned to their cultural connection with the land.  Producers typically cultivate coffee on just a few acres of land intercropped with shade trees, bananas, corn, and beans.  They carefully harvest, sort and float cherries to remove less dense or damaged seeds before depulping, fermenting, washing, and drying the coffee using their own micro-mills.

Sourcing Details

This particular community blend comes from producers who cultivate coffee in the community of La Higuera in Colasay district, near the city of Jaen, in the Cajamaja region. The producers consisting of 10 family farms have been renovating their farms with a selection of bourbon seed that has proven more resistant to leaf rust damage.  They call the varietal “Bourbon de Colasay.”

Processing Details

During the harvest, cherries are carefully harvested and sorted and floated to remove damaged and less dense beans before depulping, fermenting, washing, and drying the coffee using micro-mills located on each farm.

Exporting Details

The collective has designed farm management and post-harvest solutions to fit their needs, but they also need a strong alliance to bring their coffee to the international market and earn fair prices.  Origin Coffee Lab, an organization established to assist small producers access the specialty coffee market carries out activities that often go unnoticed but are crucial for producers managing small farms. In addition to helping producers learn best practices for cultivating and processing coffee, Origin Coffee Lab coordinates warehouse logistics, as well as, traceability and quality control throughout the post harvest process. The goal is to earn better income so producers can reinvest in their farms and strengthen their families’ livelihoods.  With rising cup quality over the past few years, Origin Coffee Lab has established premiums from coffee exports, which is returned to the producers.