about Regional Select Program
Rony Lavan was introduced to our coffee importers from Peru through their Regional Select program. This was created to highlight the unique profiles found that are inherent to various microclimates in Peru. These offerings are sourced based on cup quality and character, seeking a balance of “taste of place” with availability and price. These lots are built as blends from coffees that cup out between 84–87 on our 100-point cupping scale, and come with regional and often microregional traceability, but are not farm- or producer-specific.
Peru is a shining example of progress and development through relationships. In 2014, our importers met Rony Lavan, a cupper at a cooperative in the Cajamarca region of Peru. After spending some quality time working alongside him, they started talking about how they could do smaller, higher quality, and more traceable offerings together. Today, they have been working with Rony, now-owner of his own company, Lima Coffees located in Jaen, Peru. We have been sourcing and developing the vast majority of our Peruvian coffees alongside the team at Lima Coffees since 2017, historically spending time in Jaen cupping and approving coffees while visiting farms and connecting with the many fantastic producers that Lima Coffees represents.
Around 90,000 hectares of coffee farmland in Peru is certified organic, and it is one of the places with the highest percentage of certified-organic exported coffee in the world. It is estimated that 25–30% of the smallholder farmers in Peru are members of democratically organized cooperatives and associations, making it easy to source FTO-certified lots.
