Peru La Florida, 5 lb. bag

Roast level: light | medium
BROWN SUGAR, DARK CHOCOLATE, WALNUT

In 1966, deep in the lush green hills of Peru’s Chanchamayo region, 50 small-scale coffee farmers made a bold decision. Tired of watching middlemen take the largest share of their hard work, they gathered together with a simple but powerful idea: if they worked as one, they could build a better future. From that meeting, Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera La Florida (CAC La Florida) was born.

In the early days, resources were scarce but the farmers shared something stronger than circumstance—determination. They believed that by uniting, they could secure fair prices for their coffee and create opportunities their families had never known. Word spread from village to village. Over time, the cooperative grew to include 19 communities and, at its height, 1,200 members.

Yet CAC La Florida was never only about coffee.

The farmers understood that real progress meant investing in people. They built programs to teach better farming techniques and responsible land management. They organized workshops not only for producers, but also for their children—because they believed the next generation would carry the cooperative forward. Libraries were funded. School gardens were planted. Uniforms were purchased for students who might otherwise have gone without. In 2010, the cooperative took another thoughtful step, developing social-performance indicators to better understand the needs of their members and ensure no family was left behind.

The jungle that surrounded them was both their livelihood and their responsibility. Members learned how to protect their soil from erosion, how to preserve moisture during dry seasons, and how to restore fertility naturally. They knew their farms were part of a larger ecosystem alive with birds, insects, and wildlife. For more than thirteen years, they have produced certified-organic coffee, proving that quality and environmental care can grow side by side.

When Fair Trade premiums became available, the farmers faced a choice. Instead of keeping the funds separate, they voted in 2010 to reinvest them directly into the cooperative by paying higher prices to members for their coffee. They understood that when individual farmers thrive, the entire community grows stronger.

As the cooperative matured, so did its vision. The Family Development Committee was formed to strengthen women’s participation in production and decision-making. Women became active contributors to the cooperative’s direction, reinforcing stability not just in the fields but within families themselves.

CAC La Florida also created a medical assistance program, helping members cover doctor visits, medicine, and emergencies. The cooperative stands beside its families.

What began as a small act of resistance against unfair trade has become something far greater—a community bound together by shared effort, mutual support, and respect for the land. In the shade of coffee trees and the hum of jungle life, CAC La Florida continues to write its story: one of cooperation, resilience, and hope passed carefully from one generation to the next.