Category Archives: Peru

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

It’s Sunday in Tarapoto, and a sometimes cloudy, sometimes blue sky day with steamy temps and that jungle sultriness that is welcome when coming from Lima, but tortuous on a hot night when every sound is amplified and your skin is covered with a thin film of sweat. One can hope for rain, it feels imminent.

The coffee has shipped, it’s slowly working its way to Manzanillo, Mexico, where after a brief port call will head on to Los Angeles and finally to the warehouse there. At that point, we’ll have the goods, and the hard work of sending samples, meeting with roasters, and following up on web contacts and sales begins. Meanwhile, the waiting is the hardest part…

 

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Real People, Really Good Coffee, Update August 2015

Update 09/12: The coffee has passed FDA inspection, it should clear Customs in the next few days! 

In this post see the 2015 coffee lineup!

At this writing we’re waiting for the coffee to be loaded into a container & sent to Peruvian Customs. Just a few more hurdles & it should be on it’s way to your cup. (yes!)

The time has flown by, and at last we can look back and realize that we’ve accomplished our goal, which was to find excellent coffee & buy as much as possible direct from the grower. There are only so many things that a class or school can teach about importing coffee. Ultimately, you just have to do it, and roll with the punches as they come.

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Is Peru Firing Shots in the Currency Wars?

The Peruvian Sol

In today’s Gestion is an article regarding comments by Eduardo Amorrortu of Peru’s Association of Exporters, who says the Peruvian Sol needs to fall further in order to remain competitive.

While Brazil and Columbia currencies have fallen considerably more than Peru (Brazil 2.66 vs dollar at the beginning of the year- now 3.51, Columbia then 2377.50 – now 2960.89, both had fallen double digits before as well.)

The Peruvian Sol started the year at 2.985 vs the dollar (at this writing 3.23, having fallen even more since the China devaluation.)

As each exporting nation seeks to gain an advantage (which ultimately no one can,) China has fired the latest salvo in the recent devaluation, but already there are calls to respond:
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Coffee Festival Villa Rica Peru 2015

 

We were fortunate to be in Villa Rica for the 45th Annual Coffee Festival this year. Running from July 18th through the 28th, this festival not only spotlights coffee, but features a marathon, daily tours of local coffee farms, music, and delicious foods at an ongoing Gastronomic Fair aptly named “With the Flavor of Coffee.”

The festival offers a chance to meet with local producers, learn more about everything coffee, and sample many fine local javas. The municipality of Villa Rica had a display showing the various phases of coffee growth from seedling on, as well as a collection of various types of coffee plants, where one can see the difference between each variety.
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Cocoa from Piura and Tumbes selected among 50 best in the world

 

 We love delicious and aromatic cocoa & chocolate. Peruvian cocoa was chosen in the best 50 out of 146 samples submitted by 35 countries to the Cocoa of Excellence 2015 program.

Via El Comercio Peru (Google translate with editing for clarity – original link below)

 

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