Peru Chonta Washed SHB 2024

Peru Chonta Washed Green Coffee Beans

The Chontali mountain range forms a ring around the Chunchucas river valley in Cajamarca. The steep, forested slopes level out the closer you get to their peaks, at 1100 to 2100masl, making coffee farming possible up there in the fertile, loamy soil. Since the 1950s, when coffee cultivation first began in Chontali, the region has blossomed with steady improvement, and coffee now grows across 2,700 hectares. Most of the farmers in Chontali are smallholders, with around 2-4 hectares of land each.

This relationship coffee comes from a small group of farmers. The coffee was fully washed to create a representation of the local terroir. The characteristic profile features strong acidity and body, with flavors of milk chocolate, nougat, almond, and red apple.

How is green coffee graded in Peru?

Coffee in Peru is graded based on the altitude at which it was grown, similar to the grading systems of other Latin American countries. High-quality Peruvian coffee is marked as Strictly Hard Bean (SHB), and SHB Peru green coffee grows above 1350masl.

Common Green Coffee Varietals from Peru

Nearly all of the coffee growing in Peru is Arabica. Over 70% of the production volume is the Typica variety, one of the first plants to be taken from Ethiopia for foreign cultivation. Caturra, a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety with smaller, dwarf tree sizes, makes up 20%, and other varieties like Catimor and Pache make up the last 10% of common Peru green coffee varietals.

Peru Green Coffee Beans

Peru is the world’s 5th largest producer of Arabica coffee and it is gaining in popularity. The thin air, soaring altitudes, and fertile soil throughout Peru come together to form a breathtaking environment where coffee thrives. But sharing a border with the largest coffee-producing nation in the world is not easy. While Brazil’s efficiency and price points are unmatched, Peru finds its footing in differentiation and variety, making every harvest something to look forward to. Learn more in our Peruvian Coffee Origin Report.