Two talented single producers

Although Kenya’s cooperative system is a well known feature of its coffee growing landscape, many other countries also have systems where lots are created from the work of multiple producers. Although this can result in delicious coffees, we often miss out on the real ‘taste of place’ from a specific farm, and the craft of a specific producer in the creation of a lot. We are also prevented from fostering a relationship with a specific producer, based on a mutual understanding of quality. Here, we showcase the work of two talented single producers, in countries with strong cooperative structures.

Second coffee
Esther Fernandez - Washed Catimor

Lively tropical notes from Peru

Esther Fernandez grew up on a coffee farm, so has known coffee agriculture all her life. It was not an easy childhood, Esther often had to miss school in order to work, helping the family business to put enough food on the table. She was engaged by the time she was 17, and inherited the family farm when she was only 25. She has since become divorced, and has two grown-up children. She is particularly proud of her independence both in her business and personal life, relishing the nickname her neighbours have given her, Doña Fernandez. Esther is so proud of this name that she also uses it for her farm. She is slowly renovating the land, having built her house here, begun raising cattle and renewing the coffee plant stock. The high altitude, alongside cool conditions and a very low-chemical and bio-diverse approach in the field, leads to a very high quality of raw material. Esther’s dedication of course also plays a part here, and this continues into processing, using a rather rudimental set of tools in order to carefully unveil the character of her coffees without exposing ferment character in the cup. Esther has been a member of Coopagro since 2019, and they have helped her to recognise the quality of her work and continue to improve. Maintaining separation of small lots like Esther’s is not so popular here in rural northern Peru, so the work of Coopagro and our partners at Belco is very important in order to create a continuing incentive to produce quality coffees.

The quality of Esther’s work in the field means that only very minimal influence is required from fermentation in order to create a balanced and flavourful cup, here reminding us of fresh and crisp tropical fruit with a delicate tea-like character. One of the finest coffees we have tasted from Peru in the years we have been watching this origin.

The incredible quality potential of Peru

Peru is also a rather interesting coffee growing country. In the wider coffee market it is known for very low-price certified coffee, such as Organic, Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance. Although not quite to the same extent as Ethiopia and Kenya, Peru exports mainly cooperative lots, those pooled together from thousands of rural smallholders in order to create these low cost certified coffees. It is a rather new player in the specialty market; the cooperative system that allows Peru to produce these coffees so cheaply muddies the transparency of the market here, just as it does in Kenya. Many cooperatives work in the speciality market, but produce large volumes of coffee in the lower end of specialty, in the 80-84 point range. Apart from lost traceability, the issue with this from a buyer’s point of view is the lack of opportunity to create relationships with individual producers based on a mutual understanding of quality. If the same price is available at a cooperative, based purely on physical quality of coffee, rather than carefully created cup quality, then there is no financial incentive to create high-quality separated lots. However, this is beginning to change, and due to the work of several dedicated groups, the incredible quality potential of Peru is starting to be realised through intensive work with talented individuals like Esther Fernandez.

We always aim to tell a story

One of the best ways to appreciate the effect of these factors is to taste coffees side by side. Our most popular option allows you to experience two coffees every month, maybe different varietals or processes from the same farm or region, or maybe two parallel lots from producers at opposite ends of the coffee belt. We always aim to tell a story with our coffee choice, focusing on a different aspect of what we’re finding exciting in coffee right now. Sharing these experiences each month allows us to expand our coffee horizons together, and develop a shared vocabulary within both taste and preference in coffee.

We’re always happy to continue our conversation with you through our webshop portal, whether it be purely practical, or discussions about this month’s coffees. We see our role as simply a middleman between you and some of the best coffees in the world, and the people who produce them. These people inspire us, and we do our utmost to share both their coffees and their stories with the people who appreciate them most.