Drying Beds to Support Peruvian Gesha Coffee Harvest

In 2021, coffee farmer Hector Portocarerro lost half his crop of rare Peruvian Gesha coffee to uneven drying and processing defects.

This year, he is installing new drying beds with our support.

“Hector’s cherry-dried Peruvian Gesha is one of my favorite coffees, and we would like to buy more of it,” said Sustainability Director Brandon Bir.

In 2019, Crimson Cup’s roast of Hector’s Gesha took home two medals at the Golden Bean North America competition, contributing to our Small Franchise/Chain Roaster Championship.

Drying Facility an Obstacle

On his most recent trip to Peru, Brandon visited Hector’s farm and saw that its drying facility was a barrier to delivering more of this phenomenal coffee.

“At Crimson Cup, we focus on good by developing mutually beneficial relationships throughout the value chain,” Brandon said.

“On one end of the value chain, we focus on helping independent coffee houses succeed through our 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program. And at the other end, we are in Peru trying to help a farmer become more successful in his small business.”

“Knowing that Hector has this bottleneck and taking action to remove it puts our values into action.”

Partnering with NARSA

Crimson Cup is partnering with NARSA (NEGOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIAL AREVALO S. A.), a coffee co-op headquartered in Peru’s Junin region, to fund more efficient drying beds on Hector’s farm.

Brandon and his team have been working with NARSA since 2014 as a part of Crimson Cup’s unique Friend2Farmer initiatives, through which the roaster makes economic, environmental and social impacts in coffee farming communities.

NARSA Founder Don Julio Abel Arevalo Tello and his team focus on helping small coffee and cacao farmers in Peru’s Central Highlands and Amazon regions gain market access throughout Peru and beyond.

“By pushing cup quality and crop health as a means to a more sustainable industry, NARSA aligns perfectly with Crimson Cup’s commitment to quality and sustainability,” Brandon said.

New Drying Beds to Support July Gesha Harvest

With help from Crimson Cup and NARSA, Hector hopes to complete the new drying beds before the July Gesha coffee harvest.

“The higher the quality of Hector’s coffee, the more we will have to pay for it. The more he can grow, the more we can buy and sell to our customers,” Bir said. “And the more Hector earns, the more he can invest in his farm.”

“During our visit, Hector showed us baby Gesha plants ready to be planted,” he added. “He also shared plans to purchase more lots of land around his farm so that he can grow more Gesha and other varieties of coffee.

“We’re excited to make a small contribution toward his reaching his goals. After all, when he succeeds in growing more exceptional coffee, it contributes to our success as a roaster.”