Peru Cajamarca Coffee from CENFROCAFE Farmers

When you’re hunting for a standout single-origin coffee that doesn’t taste like everyone else’s washed Ethiopian or fruity Kenyan, Peru often gets overlooked—but that’s changing. One cooperative in the country’s northern highlands is quietly producing microlots with surprising complexity. These aren’t your average grocery-store beans. So what makes this particular Peruvian offering worth your attention?

CENFROCAFE, a nonprofit coffee farmers’ cooperative based in Peru’s Cajamarca region, produces this particular lot—a rare Peruvian coffee with Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon varieties, processed via washed method with a final open-air drying stage. It delivers a full-bodied cup with floral aromas, bright lemon-like acidity, and a sweet, bitter-chocolate finish. Just 1 to 4 bags are produced per micro-lot.

Who Is Behind This Coffee?

The coffee comes from CENFROCAFE, a non-profit smallholder cooperative located in northeastern Peru. The group supports over 2,000 farmers who grow not just coffee but also crops like cacao. CENFROCAFE’s role is to improve farming practices, raise overall coffee quality, and connect producers with international markets. Their work ensures better incomes and more consistent specialty lots coming out of Cajamarca.

The APU Brand and Micro-Lots

Within CENFROCAFE, one of their dedicated brands is APU. This label represents carefully selected, small-batch microlots. Each APU microlot is harvested and processed individually, typically yielding just 1 to 4 bags per batch. These micro-lots undergo meticulous processing and are quality-checked by SCAA-certified cuppers to ensure excellence before reaching export.

Growing Conditions and Processing

This particular coffee hails from the Cajamarca region, grown at an elevation of 1,500 metres above sea level. The varieties planted include Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon—classic cultivars known for balance and clarity in the cup. The processing method is primarily washed, with a final stage of sun drying on raised beds. This hybrid approach helps enhance both cleanliness and sweetness in the final profile.

Certifications and Quality Indicators

This coffee carries both FTO (Fair Trade Organic) and Bio Latina certifications. These verify that it is both organically grown and produced under fair trade conditions, ensuring ethical labour practices and environmentally sustainable farming methods. Such credentials are more than labels—they signify a level of traceability, sustainability, and fairness built into the production chain.

What Makes This Coffee Unique?

Unlike mass-market Peruvian coffees that tend to be mild and understated, this microlot stands out with a surprisingly bold body, layered floral tones, and a zesty citrus acidity reminiscent of lemon. The finish lingers with a pleasant mix of bitterness and dark chocolate. These characteristics are rare for Peruvian offerings and make it a compelling choice for specialty roasters and home brewers looking for something beyond the usual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is this Peruvian coffee from?

This coffee is sourced from the Cajamarca region in northeastern Peru. It is produced by CENFROCAFE, a nonprofit cooperative that works with over 2,000 smallholder farmers.

What coffee varieties are included in this lot?

The lot includes Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon coffee varieties—classic cultivars known for their balanced cup profiles and suitability for higher altitudes.

How is the coffee processed?

The coffee is processed using a washed method, with a final stage of drying on raised beds (open-air or “”). This combination helps develop both clarity and sweetness in the cup.

What certifications does the coffee have?

The coffee holds both FTO (Fair Trade Organic) and Bio Latina certifications, confirming it is both organic and produced under fair trade standards.

What does this coffee taste like?

The cup profile is full-bodied with floral notes, bright lemon-like acidity, and a finish that balances bitter and sweet chocolate flavours.

How big are the micro-lots?

Each APU microlot typically consists of just 1 to 4 bags, reflecting the limited production and careful batch selection involved.

FrontStreet Coffee Picks for Cajamarca Fans

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Guji Natural or Colombia Popayan for fans of complex, floral-forward profiles similar to this Cajamarca lot. For something closer in body and chocolate depth, our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga offers vibrant acidity with a juicy, sweet finish. All three showcase the kind of clarity and balance that Peru’s high-altitude coffees can achieve—especially when grown at 1,500m like this CENFROCAFE microlot. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.