Introduction to Cepro Yanesha COOP in Chanchamayo Region, Central Peru

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Coffee is one of Peru's highest-yielding agricultural crops. Peru also holds the largest share of the organic and fair trade coffee market and ranks among the world's largest coffee exporters. With diverse regions and climates, the country produces many different varieties.

The Chanchamayo production area in central Peru is home to the indigenous Yanesha people. This high-altitude region, averaging 1,550 to 1,850 meters, is an ancient indigenous reserve of roughly 20,000 inhabitants who traditionally live by raising poultry and farming. To increase household income, 125 farmers established the Yanesha Cooperative — CENTRAL DE PRODUCTORES YANESHA (CEPRO YANESHA) — and began growing coffee. Under a program funded by the Dutch Rabobank Foundation, which provided capital and technical expertise, they started exporting one container (18 tons) to the European market in 2011, two containers in 2012, and by 2017 thirteen containers plus some high-priced specialty green beans — dramatically improving the income of local indigenous families.

Cepro Yanesha COOP sits in remote, sparsely populated mountains, and all of its coffee is grown organically. Under the Rabobank Foundation's assistance program, experts guide organic cultivation, and through the bank's connections the coffee is sold to importers. Member families typically cultivate less than 2 hectares each. The cooperative is surrounded by pristine natural forest — tall trees and fertile soil, with heavy afternoon rains bringing abundant rainfall and humidity. The native flora and fauna provide natural shade and deposit organic matter that enriches the soil.

Today, through the Rabobank Foundation's program, 70 coffee cooperatives have successfully cultivated and exported coffee. The flavor features gentle citrus notes, very low fruit acidity, medium body, caramel sweetness, and a balanced mouthfeel — captivating in aroma, smooth in texture, and sweet, delicate, and easy to drink.

Peru was once the heart of the ancient Inca Empire, covering an area about 35.7 times the size of Taiwan. Stretching along the Andes, South America's highest mountain range, it was here in 1533 that 180 Spaniards entered what became known as the city of gold, carrying vast plundered gold back to Spain. Coffee cultivation began in the 18th century. The Andes run through roughly three-quarters of Peru, whose area exceeds half of Central America's, and the country is also the source of the Amazon River. Of Peru's roughly 28 million people, more than 200,000 small farmers grow coffee, averaging less than 2 hectares each, along the eastern side of the Andes — a growing area divisible into three major regions: north, central, and south.

Northern Region:

Piura, Amazonas, San Martín

Central Region:

Huánuco, Junín, Pasco, Chanchamayo

Southern Region:

Cuzco, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Puno, Urubamba

Major growing areas include the Chanchamayo valley east of Lima, the northern mountains, and the western slopes of the Andes — more than 10 distinct regions producing unique flavor profiles. Annual production is about 3 million bags of Arabica, all washed-processed, exported primarily to the United States and Germany. Up to 98% of Peruvian coffee grows in forested areas, mostly on small farms. Most of it is grown under natural conditions — local farmers can hardly afford fertilizers or pesticides — so Peruvian coffee is almost entirely organic by default. Peru is currently South America's third-largest and the world's ninth-largest coffee exporter, growing Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, and Pache.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the gentle, easygoing character of Chanchamayo coffee appeals to you, look for a washed Peruvian from this valley at a light-to-medium roast — the cup should deliver exactly what the cooperative's beans are known for: soft citrus notes, low acidity, caramel sweetness, and a smooth, balanced body that makes it one of the easiest-drinking coffees in specialty shops.

For a reliable everyday option while you explore Peru, FrontStreet Coffee's entry-level daily bean lineup is a great place to start — their Ethiopian washed Yirgacheffe offers jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, the Brazilian Cerrado daily bean brings creamy nut and caramel comfort, and the Colombian Huila rounds things out with chocolate and caramel sweetness. Any of them makes an excellent morning brew while you hunt down a bag of organic Peruvian.