Peru is known for Machu Picchu and the Inca Empire. But also for coffee? Yes! South America's third-largest country is the world's largest exporter of organic coffee! Globally, Peru ranks 9th as a coffee producer, accounting for a proud 3% of the global coffee trade. In our first blog post about the coffees we offer in our shop , we'll introduce you to the country of Peru and Peruvian coffee. We'll show you the beginnings of coffee cultivation, discuss the diversity and quality of the varieties, and of course, describe what Peruvian coffee actually tastes like. So stay tuned and enjoy reading!
The history of coffee in Peru
The first coffee arrived in Peru in the mid-18th century, brought by seafarers. Initially, they cultivated it only for their own consumption, until they began exporting it at the end of the 19th century. This was due to the stagnating coffee exports from Indonesia and the increasing demand for coffee in Europe. Coffee cultivation was further boosted by the British occupation in the 20th century, as they claimed 500,000 hectares of land for agricultural products and coffee cultivation. Migrant workers were employed as farmers for this purpose, some of whom became landowners after the occupation.
The landscape of Peru
You might be wondering why the landscape is relevant to this blog post. Unfortunately, without this information, it's impossible to explain why coffee from Peru is often organic and how the specific growing conditions influence its quality.
Therefore, a brief digression on the landscapes of Peru: Peru lies directly on the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. In the north, the landscape is characterized by high mountains, rainforest, and tropical temperatures. The south, on the other hand, has characteristically barren landscapes, terraced fields, and, of course, Machu Picchu!
As you can see, Peru is an extremely diverse country, ranking among the 10 most biodiverse countries in the world. Therefore, it's no surprise that Peruvian coffee also boasts an exotic flavor profile.
Coffee growing regions from Peru
Since Peru lies in the heart of the coffee belt , coffee can theoretically be grown in any part of the country. However, most farms are located at an altitude of 1,600–1,800 meters, meaning that Peru primarily cultivates highland coffee. Unlike Brazil, Peru does not have mega-farms. Instead, it consists mostly of small farms of just a few hectares—also known as microlots—which often form cooperatives (for better pricing). Because these very high-altitude growing regions are difficult to access, heavy machinery can rarely be used for harvesting.
Therefore, coffee from Peru is very often hand-picked and hardly, if at all, processed with chemicals. That's also why coffee from Peru is so often organic! Whether a certificate confirms this every time is another matter.
The most famous coffee growing regions
-
Northern Peru:
In northern Peru, the most famous coffee-growing regions are Cajamarca, San Martin, and Amazonas. The province of Cajamarca, in particular, boasts an equatorial climate and rich soils at an altitude of 900 to 2000 meters, and is very well-structured with many small-scale farmers. This region produces the largest quantity of coffee in Peru and frequently achieves high scores at the Cup of Excellence.
-
Central Peru:
Junin produces approximately a quarter of Peruvian coffee. Unfortunately, this region was heavily impacted by the guerrilla warfare of the 1990s, severely damaging the coffee plants. This led to the spread of diseases, such as the dreaded coffee rust. However, the coffee plant population has since recovered well, and the coffee from this region is now considered top-quality.
-
Southern Peru:
Two exceptional coffee-growing regions are located in the Andean valleys: Cusco and Puno. Puno, situated on Lake Titicaca, is particularly renowned for its high-quality coffee. Puno coffee not only won a Cup of Excellence in 2021, but also took home the "Best Quality Coffee" award at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle in 2017.
The coffee varieties of Peru
Now that we've taken a closer look at Peru's coffee-growing regions, the question arises: which coffee beans grow there? The majority of coffee grown in Peru is Arabica . To be precise, various varieties such as Typica, Caturra, Bourbon, Catimor, Pacha, and Geisha are cultivated. These are harvested between March and September. As mentioned earlier, many coffee farms are very small and often join cooperatives to create exciting blends!
So, what does coffee from Peru taste like?
Peruvian coffee is naturally influenced by Peru's biodiversity. The cultivation of mixed crops—coffee plants alongside fruit trees like bananas, papayas, or citrus fruits—has a particularly significant impact on the coffee's flavor. This often results in a mild cup profile described as fruity. However, the profile can also be more chocolatey or nutty, especially when grown alongside cacao. The mildness of Peruvian coffee makes it well-suited for blending in espresso. However, its aromatic diversity increasingly leads to its use as a single-origin coffee in filter coffee.
Our coffee from Peru - Dona Yolanda
We do, of course, have a really good specialty coffee from Peru. As a reminder: A specialty coffee is rated by the SCA with a score of over 80 on a scale of 1-100.
Our specialty filter coffee, Dona Yolanda, from Peru, is 100% Arabica and comes from the farm of the same name. Located at an altitude of 1,750 meters, the farm cultivates the Caturra and Bourbon varieties. The coffee is processed using the washed method. The flavor can be described as fruity with notes of apple and orange zest. So be sure to try our special coffee from Peru, especially now that you know what makes it so special.
We hope you enjoyed reading our blog post about coffee from Peru and learned some interesting facts. Next week we'll continue with the world's largest coffee exporter: Brazil. Until then!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team
Coffee from Peru
Peru is known for Machu Picchu and the Inca Empire. But also for coffee? Yes! South America's third-largest country is the world's largest exporter of organic coffee! Globally, Peru ranks 9th as a coffee producer, accounting for a proud 3% of the global coffee trade. In our first blog post about the coffees we offer in our shop , we'll introduce you to the country of Peru and Peruvian coffee. We'll show you the beginnings of coffee cultivation, discuss the diversity and quality of the varieties, and of course, describe what Peruvian coffee actually tastes like. So stay tuned and enjoy reading!
The history of coffee in Peru
The first coffee arrived in Peru in the mid-18th century, brought by seafarers. Initially, they cultivated it only for their own consumption, until they began exporting it at the end of the 19th century. This was due to the stagnating coffee exports from Indonesia and the increasing demand for coffee in Europe. Coffee cultivation was further boosted by the British occupation in the 20th century, as they claimed 500,000 hectares of land for agricultural products and coffee cultivation. Migrant workers were employed as farmers for this purpose, some of whom became landowners after the occupation.
The landscape of Peru
You might be wondering why the landscape is relevant to this blog post. Unfortunately, without this information, it's impossible to explain why coffee from Peru is often organic and how the specific growing conditions influence its quality.
Therefore, a brief digression on the landscapes of Peru: Peru lies directly on the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. In the north, the landscape is characterized by high mountains, rainforest, and tropical temperatures. The south, on the other hand, has characteristically barren landscapes, terraced fields, and, of course, Machu Picchu!
As you can see, Peru is an extremely diverse country, ranking among the 10 most biodiverse countries in the world. Therefore, it's no surprise that Peruvian coffee also boasts an exotic flavor profile.
Coffee growing regions from Peru
Since Peru lies in the heart of the coffee belt , coffee can theoretically be grown in any part of the country. However, most farms are located at an altitude of 1,600–1,800 meters, meaning that Peru primarily cultivates highland coffee. Unlike Brazil, Peru does not have mega-farms. Instead, it consists mostly of small farms of just a few hectares—also known as microlots—which often form cooperatives (for better pricing). Because these very high-altitude growing regions are difficult to access, heavy machinery can rarely be used for harvesting.
Therefore, coffee from Peru is very often hand-picked and hardly, if at all, processed with chemicals. That's also why coffee from Peru is so often organic! Whether a certificate confirms this every time is another matter.
The most famous coffee growing regions
Northern Peru:
In northern Peru, the most famous coffee-growing regions are Cajamarca, San Martin, and Amazonas. The province of Cajamarca, in particular, boasts an equatorial climate and rich soils at an altitude of 900 to 2000 meters, and is very well-structured with many small-scale farmers. This region produces the largest quantity of coffee in Peru and frequently achieves high scores at the Cup of Excellence.Central Peru:
Junin produces approximately a quarter of Peruvian coffee. Unfortunately, this region was heavily impacted by the guerrilla warfare of the 1990s, severely damaging the coffee plants. This led to the spread of diseases, such as the dreaded coffee rust. However, the coffee plant population has since recovered well, and the coffee from this region is now considered top-quality.Southern Peru:
Two exceptional coffee-growing regions are located in the Andean valleys: Cusco and Puno. Puno, situated on Lake Titicaca, is particularly renowned for its high-quality coffee. Puno coffee not only won a Cup of Excellence in 2021, but also took home the "Best Quality Coffee" award at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle in 2017.The coffee varieties of Peru
Now that we've taken a closer look at Peru's coffee-growing regions, the question arises: which coffee beans grow there? The majority of coffee grown in Peru is Arabica . To be precise, various varieties such as Typica, Caturra, Bourbon, Catimor, Pacha, and Geisha are cultivated. These are harvested between March and September. As mentioned earlier, many coffee farms are very small and often join cooperatives to create exciting blends!
So, what does coffee from Peru taste like?
Peruvian coffee is naturally influenced by Peru's biodiversity. The cultivation of mixed crops—coffee plants alongside fruit trees like bananas, papayas, or citrus fruits—has a particularly significant impact on the coffee's flavor. This often results in a mild cup profile described as fruity. However, the profile can also be more chocolatey or nutty, especially when grown alongside cacao. The mildness of Peruvian coffee makes it well-suited for blending in espresso. However, its aromatic diversity increasingly leads to its use as a single-origin coffee in filter coffee.
Our coffee from Peru - Dona Yolanda
We do, of course, have a really good specialty coffee from Peru. As a reminder: A specialty coffee is rated by the SCA with a score of over 80 on a scale of 1-100.
Our specialty filter coffee, Dona Yolanda, from Peru, is 100% Arabica and comes from the farm of the same name. Located at an altitude of 1,750 meters, the farm cultivates the Caturra and Bourbon varieties. The coffee is processed using the washed method. The flavor can be described as fruity with notes of apple and orange zest. So be sure to try our special coffee from Peru, especially now that you know what makes it so special.
We hope you enjoyed reading our blog post about coffee from Peru and learned some interesting facts. Next week we'll continue with the world's largest coffee exporter: Brazil. Until then!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team