While women have always been crucial to coffee production in Peru, men traditionally held the economic power. In 2004, 464 female coffee producers in Peru united to change this dynamic and take a step toward empowerment. They decided to separate their coffee production from men to gain visibility and a voice inside their community. Working in partnership with OPTCO, they developed a never-before-existing market for women-produced coffee to serve as an important vehicle for social change and the empowerment of poor, marginalized women coffee farmers. Since then, the Café Femenino movement now includes thousands of women farmers from nine countries across the world.
Since their first meeting in 2004, the women of the Café Femenino Peru Program have marshaled widespread social change into their communities. By overcoming a variety of barriers— including inferior societal status due to gender prejudice, adverse living conditions, and lack of self-esteem stemming from insecurities about their lack of formal education—the women have successfully stood up against generations of gender inequity.
This washed coffee comes from a country now producing around 4 million bags of coffee a year, so Peru is a well-known player on the coffee scene. Over two thirds of coffee production comes from the north of the country giving us plenty of creamy toffee, fudge and caramel flavours, mild acidic citrus notes and subtle body. Peru is known as a great filler, blender and substitute when Honduras, or Mexico are unable to offer. Peru offers buyers an enormous variety of Fairtrade and Organic coffees too, having embraced both certifications in recent years to much success.
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The Café Femenino Foundation provides funding to support grant requests from women in coffee producing regions around the world. Most producers in Peru operated small holdings typically less than 3 hectares in size, and organise themselves in to well run well managed cooperatives. Café Femenino has strong footings in Peru, and has managed to highlight some exceptional coffees, and producing groups growing some exceptional coffees. It will not be long before Peru becomes a formidable force in the speciality world.
Exotic tropical fruit flavours of pineapple, lemon and lime acidity and pomegranate fruit juice
Empowering Women in Coffee:
During a recent trip to the CECANOR Co-operative in Northern Peru, HENRY CLIFFORD met VICTOR ROJAS DIAZ, the co-founder of Café Femenino, a project that empowers women all over the world. Each Casa Café Femenino is equipped to serve as a temporary shelter for battered or abused women and children, with future plans to serve as a community soup kitchen.
Profile:
Region: Chamchamayo
Growing Altitude: 1000- 2500 masl
Arabica Variety: Typica, Bourbon, Catimor, Colombia
Harvest Period:April-September
Milling Process: Fully washed, sun dried
Aroma: Floral
Flavour: Cocoa, Lemon, Lime, Maple Syrup
Body:Full
Acidity: Mediun, balanced
Roast: Medium
Cupping Score: 83
A great coffee to start with, if you are new to buying freshly roasted coffees!
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