Meet the Farmer Coffee Tasting: Peru La Merced Mundo Pache with Julio Arevalo Tello

We recently kicked off “Meet the Farmer,” a series of coffee tastings by smallholder coffee farmers and cooperative managers at our Columbus-area coffee houses.

“We believe that introducing some of the people who grow and process our coffee will give Columbus coffee aficionados greater insight into coffee’s journey from farm to cup,” said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert. “We’re also offering samples of exceptional single-origin and micro-lot craft coffees purchased through our relationships with the featured speakers.”

The series began on Wednesday, April 20, with appearances by Julio Arevalo Tello, founder and general manager of NARSA (NEGOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIAL AREVALO S. A.) a cooperative from Peru’s Chanchomayo coffee region. NARSA represents Crimson Cup’s new Peru La Merced Mundo Pache, grown by farmer Pedro Cahuana Cconocc and purchased through our Friend2Farmer direct trade program.

“NARSA is an incredible cooperative that has been instrumental in coffee development in the Chanchomayo region,” said Brandon Bir, coffee sourcing and education manager. “They live a corporate culture based on the principles of integrity, eco-efficiency and transparency and focused on inclusion of peasant and indigenous families in the Central Forest of Peru.”

Brandon, Coffee Buyer Dave Eldridge and Customer Growth Specialist Taylor Harvey visited the NARSA coffee warehouse and Cahuana’s farm in 2015. Located three hours away from La Merced, the farm sits at an average elevation of roughly 6,200 feet.

“Don Pedro Cahuana has made significant investments in reforesting his farm,” Dave said. “This has not only helped the local wildlife and environment, but it allows more of the coffee to be shade grown.

“The coffee is a very large bean that is a mix between the Mundo Novo and Pache varietals, hence the name Mundo Pache,” he added.

Brandon said the Mundo Pache beans were among the best the team encountered in Peru. “Lightly roasted, this fully washed coffee delivers a super clean cup, with notes of caramel, honey, and cocoa,” he said. “Some nutty notes and mild citrus acidity are evident in the finish.”

The coffees and farmers featured in our “Meet the Farmer” coffee tastings come through our Friend2Farmer program, which we developed to ensure that farmers receive a fair share of proceeds from coffee sales. We pay an above-market premium to farmers, who can then invest in agricultural and community improvements. Crimson Cup coffee experts also collaborate with farmers on ways to improve the quality of the coffee and quality of life for farmers, workers and their communities.

Roast magazine editors cited our work in cultivating relationships with coffee growers around the world as a factor in naming Crimson Cup its 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.