High altitudes, ideal climates, and nutrient-rich soil in the Cajamarca region of Peru create the perfect conditions for producing high-quality organic coffee. Through extensive cupping, Maria Nieves Tantalean Fernandez’s farm, El Chin Chin, has been recognised as one of the top lots from the region this year by Alpes Andinos, our exporting partners in Peru.

Maria's farm is located in the mountain town of Barro Negro, around 1.5 hours from Jaen, where the association's headquarters are based. As one of the founding members of the association, Maria is well known throughout the region. In 2019, she joined the board as vice-chair, and in 2020, she became president, helping to organise the association’s members.

Along with her husband, Maria tends to three farms—El Limon 1, El Limon 2, and El Chin Chin. She named El Chin Chin after a tree found growing on the farm, a tradition in the region where farm names reflect the unique characteristics of the surrounding landscape. Coffee production is Maria’s primary source of income, with any fruit trees or other produce grown reserved for personal consumption. She lives with her husband, daughter, and youngest son.

At over 1,850 masl, El Chin Chin is home to local varieties Typica and Red Caturra, both of which thrive at high altitudes. Maria has also started cultivating a hectare of Geisha at El Limon 2, using seeds purchased from a certified farm, before later planting Geisha at El Chin Chin. With rising premiums paid for 85+ scoring lots, new varieties and nano lots continue to gain popularity in the region. The association promotes this drive for quality, believing that better coffee leads to producer empowerment and wider benefits for coffee-growing families.

To maintain crop quality and increase yield, producers follow 15-year rotations, focusing on each variety individually. When a tree reaches the end of its cycle, it is dramatically cut back using the ‘Zoca’ practice, where the tree is pruned to just 30 centimetres from the ground, encouraging new growth. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of coffee cherries, trees of the same variety are planted two years in advance.

Soil analysis is regularly conducted, with fertiliser applied in March and again after the November harvest. Maria uses a mix of compost and ‘guano de las Islas’—a natural fertiliser collected from Peru’s offshore islands, where large seabird populations deposit nutrient-rich guano.

Processing & Harvest

The harvest season runs from June to October, using traditional processing methods passed down through generations.

1. Selective Handpicking & Sorting
2. Pulping & Secondary Fermentation
3. Washing & Drying
4. Storage & Export