From London to Lima: Our CEO's First Trip to Origin
Earlier this year, I joined Roland and Paul on an origin trip to Peru. It was my first time visiting a coffee farm – and genuinely one of the most affecting experiences of my career. I'd understood, intellectually, what 'relationship buying' meant. Standing on a hillside in the Andes with producers who'd been growing coffee for our customers for years, I started to feel it.
Roland is our Green Coffee Buyer for both the UK and New Zealand. His sourcing knowledge and self-taught Spanish were essential on this trip. Paul, our Head Roaster in New Zealand and one of the most respected roasters in the country, handles NZ's exclusive coffee buying and also has a serious eye for photography – many of the images from this trip are his.
Meeting the Producers
The farms we visited were shaped by Peru's steep, diverse landscapes – and by the lives of the families who work them. Many have no running water or electricity. What struck me most wasn't the hardship, though. It was the warmth, the pride, and the depth of knowledge these producers carry about their own land.
Lali Guevara and the Rojitos
Lali Guevara is a member of the Agua Azul Comité, from whom we buy both mixed lots and microlots. Her farm is planted with Caturra, Red Catuai, and Yellow Catuai. During our visit, she pointed out some Red Catuai with an unusual pink tint to the mucilage – something neither we nor our exporter Pepe had ever seen before. We asked her to separate those beans for a special cupping.
The result was striking: a crisper, brighter acidity and a distinctive fruit sweetness that set it apart from anything else in the lot. We called it "Rojitos" – little red ones.
On this trip, we were excited to see that Lali and her husband Yoiser had started a nursery near their home, growing baby Rojitos plants alongside some Geisha. They're planning to renovate part of the farm with these new varieties. We can't wait to see what they produce.
Nima Juarez: Reinvesting in the Future
Roland and Paul first met Nima Juarez on their initial trip to Peru, through the Gallitos de Roca producer group. She only recently started receiving fair prices for her coffee – and the first thing she did was put that money straight back into the farm. New drying beds. Better plants. This, while raising two young children.
Nima manages two chacras (farms): El Roble, 2.5 hectares planted with Catuai, and La Quebrada, a one-hectare plot featuring Marshell, a local Catimor cultivar. The care she brings to both is evident in the cup.
Eyner Saldivar: Asking Better Questions
Eyner Saldivar farms in the Colasay department, at 2050 masl, where a cool microclimate gives his coffee a fresh, clean character. He inherited the farm from his parents, and we first discovered his coffee at a cupping session a few years ago.
What's impressed us on every visit is his curiosity. Eyner is always asking questions – about best practices, about what's working on bigger farms, about how to improve. This trip, he asked for our help. His old depulper and fermentation tank were creating quality risks, and replacing them wasn't straightforward to finance.
It was exactly the kind of situation our sustainability project is designed for. We agreed to fund a new depulper and fermentation tank for Eyner – equipment that will improve both the quality and consistency of his coffee, and give him a more reliable foundation to build on.
Leaving Peru with a New Perspective
We talk a lot about 'relationship buying' – returning to the same farms year after year, understanding the challenges, seeing what's changed, finding new opportunities together. I'd always believed in it. But there's something different about seeing it in person.
These producers aren't just waiting for a buyer to show up. They're planning, investing, experimenting – and they genuinely value the feedback loop. Hearing what we noticed in the cup. Talking through what they want to try next season.
I came home with a deeper appreciation for every bag of Peru coffee we roast. Each one is the result of someone's year. Their decisions, their hard work, their farm.
Cheers,
Lizzie Gurr
Want to try the coffees behind these stories? Browse our current Peru coffees here.