Flavio Ccori Soncco and his family live in the Sandia region in Puno, the very South of Peru. Flavio, whose surname in Quechua means "heart of gold" is a man of few words. However, his daily work speaks louder than any grand narrative. Every day he walks to their 1.5 hectare farm at 1800 meters above sea level, which takes a bit more than an hour, or perhaps a touch more by our measure. Here he grows a Bourbon elegant and layered in flavor, evoking fervent admiration among coffee enthusiasts. The coffee reached the top selection in the Cup of Excellence last harvest. In the tranquil hamlet of Quimsa Cruz, Flavio and his wife have built their lives, which they dedicate to their family, the farm and going to church.

Not only our colleague and friend, but also a coffee grower with a strong vision regarding his farm. Dreyde, known in the Cultivar team as Dr. Drey, approaches his post harvest processes like a true doctor, never shying away from experiments or innovative methods and always looking for perfection. Apart from being creative, innovative and being a true specialty coffee aficionado, he is a warm and likable person with an easy-going personality. Dreyde and his family are from Chontali in the Jaén province about 2-3 hours away from Jaén city. Chontali is also the place where he started building his farm in 2020 during the pandemic. The farm reaches 2000 masl and is fully dedicated to specialty coffee production. He grows exotic varieties like geisha, yellow bourbon and maracaturra and goes ‘loco’ on processing, always pushing the bar up for the quality of his coffees.

Raymunda tends to her coffee farm in Junín, but she originally hails from the Andes region of Huancavelica. Once a potato grower, she moved with her sons to central Peru, seeking a better future in coffee. As the matriarch of a tight-knit family of seven, they all pitch in on their farms in Nueva Florida, their community. Their neighbors are also taking notice of their work ethic. Raymunda has faced her fair share of challenges, but she's become a rock-solid support for her family. Often, she's the one welcoming us with a hearty meal during our visits. We've been purchasing coffee from her and her family since 2017.