Bean Origins

Coffee arrived in Peru in the 1700s, but commercial export began in the 20th century, driven by European demand due to decreased production in Indonesia. British influence in the early 1900s led to the government acquiring 2 million hectares for coffee plantations. As in other regions, European-owned land was redistributed, creating smaller farms. This shift granted independence to farmers but limited resources and market access.

Patricio Rubio Saucedo, a member of the cooperative Lima Coffees, owns a 6.25-hectare farm where he grows 3.5 hectares of Caturra coffee, totaling about 11,500 trees. The vast majority of coffee in Peru is washed, with many producers owning their wet-milling equipment. The coffees are usually depulped the same day they are harvested and given a 12–18-hour open-air fermentation before being washed clean of mucilage.