CAC La Florida

Chanchamayo Valley and surrounding districts, Junín, Peru ,Peru

CAC La Florida coffee is produced by 800+ smallholder families in Junín, Peru. Grown at 1,100–1,800 MASL, it reflects the region’s chocolate sweetness, citrus brightness, and commitment to sustainable farming.

Location

Chanchamayo Valley and surrounding districts, Junín, Peru ,Peru

Elevation

Approximately 1,100–1,800 MASL

Varieties

Bourbon, Caturra, Catimor, Catuai, Typica

Processing

Fully Washed

Certifications

USDA Organic, Bird-Friendly, Fair Trade

PRODUCER'S STORY

The Story of CAC La Florida

PRODUCER'S STORY

The Story of CAC La Florida

From Smallholder Roots to a Pioneer of Organic Coffee.

The story of CAC La Florida began in the Chanchamayo Valley of Peru’s Junín region, where smallholder farming families have cultivated Arabica coffee across the tropical mountain landscape for generations.

Founded on October 26, 1966, by approximately 50 coffee-growing families, the cooperative was created to give farmers greater economic stability, stronger bargaining power, and better opportunities within the coffee trade. Over time, CAC La Florida grew into a cooperative representing more than 800 smallholder families across Chanchamayo, Villa Rica, Perené, and San Ramón.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Peru’s coffee sector faced low prices, limited market access, and a lack of technical resources. In response, CAC La Florida invested in farmer education, quality improvement, and sustainable agricultural practices. By the late 1990s, the cooperative began transitioning toward organic production while developing relationships with specialty coffee buyers.

These efforts helped establish CAC La Florida as a pioneer in Peru’s organic and Fair Trade coffee sectors. Farmers gained greater access to certification programs, technical support, quality-control systems, and specialty markets while continuing to manage their own family farms.

Today, CAC La Florida reflects the evolution of Peru’s smallholder coffee sector—from a small group of farmers seeking greater economic opportunity to a well-established cooperative recognized for organic agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community development. Through generations of farming knowledge and continued investment in quality and sustainability, the people behind CAC La Florida continue to strengthen the future of specialty coffee in Peru.

NEW ARRIVALS FROM CAC LA FLORIDA

PEOPLE BEHIND IT

The People Behind CAC La Florida

Smallholder Families Building a Stronger Future for Peruvian Coffee.

Behind CAC La Florida are more than 800 smallholder farming families spread across the coffee-growing districts of Chanchamayo, Villa Rica, Perené, and San Ramón in Peru’s Junín region.

Most farmers manage small family-owned farms ranging from one to five hectares, often passed down through generations. Coffee is grown alongside crops such as bananas, citrus, and avocados, creating diversified farming systems that support both household livelihoods and the surrounding environment.

Through the cooperative, farmers gain access to technical training, organic farming guidance, certification support, quality-control programs, and specialty coffee markets. These resources help producers improve their farming and processing practices while maintaining ownership of their individual farms.

Many members have embraced organic cultivation, shade-grown coffee, composting, vermiculture, and biological pest management. Together with the cooperative’s environmental and community programs, these efforts allow farmers to pursue better coffee quality while caring for the land and strengthening their communities.

The people behind CAC La Florida represent generations of coffee-growing knowledge combined with a shared commitment to quality, sustainability, and collective progress. Their work continues to shape the character of Peruvian coffee while creating greater opportunities for smallholder farmers and their families.

FARMING PRACTICE

Smallholder Agroforestry

FARMING PRACTICE

Smallholder Agroforestry

Coffee is cultivated by smallholder farming families and independent producers, often on small, family-managed plots. Production is typically labor-intensive, with farmers relying on careful hand cultivation, generations of agricultural knowledge, and farming practices adapted to the local environment.

Coffee is often grown alongside shade trees and other vegetation, forming diversified farming systems that can support biodiversity, provide natural shade, help protect soil, and contribute to the overall health of the growing environment.

The combination of small-scale farming, traditional knowledge, and evolving agricultural practices allows producers to maintain the character of their local coffee-growing regions while continuously working to improve coffee quality, farm productivity, and long-term sustainability.

SUSTAINABLE BY NATURE

CAC La Florida – Junín, Peru Investing in Organic Agriculture, Biodiversity & Smallholder Communities

SUSTAINABLE BY NATURE

CAC La Florida – Junín, Peru Investing in Organic Agriculture, Biodiversity & Smallholder Communities

Sustainability in the coffee-growing regions of Junín is closely connected to smallholder farming, organic cultivation, agroforestry, and the long-term development of coffee-producing communities. CAC La Florida brings together more than 800 farming families across Chanchamayo, Villa Rica, Perené, and San Ramón, with most farms ranging from one to five hectares.

Coffee is cultivated within tropical mountain environments using shade-grown systems and diversified farming practices. Producers are supported in using organic compost, vermiculture, biological pest control, and responsible soil management, while agroforestry and shade-tree systems help protect biodiversity, strengthen farm resilience, and maintain healthier growing environments.

Through its cooperative structure, CAC La Florida provides farmers with technical training, certification support, quality-improvement programs, and access to specialty coffee markets. Its Fair Trade participation also helps fund community initiatives such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and environmental programs, creating benefits that extend beyond individual farms.

By combining organic cultivation, responsible farming practices, environmental conservation, and farmer-led development, CAC La Florida demonstrates how sustainable coffee production can support both the health of the land and the long-term well-being of the communities who depend on coffee.

Organic & Responsible Cultivation

Some producer groups participate in certified organic and sustainability programs that promote environmentally responsible farming practices. Certification and production standards vary by producer group and specific coffee lot.

Smallholder Farming & Farmer Empowerment

More than 800 smallholder families participate in the cooperative, receiving technical training, certification support, and access to specialty markets while maintaining ownership of their family farms.

Agroforestry & Biodiversity

Shade-grown coffee systems and agroforestry practices help preserve native vegetation, provide habitat for wildlife, and support greater biodiversity throughout the coffee-growing landscape.

Soil Health & Natural Cultivation

Many farmers employ low-input agricultural practices that focus on maintaining soil fertility through organic matter, composting, and natural nutrient cycles. These approaches help support long-term productivity while reducing dependence on costly external inputs.

Community Development & Farmer Empowerment

Programs that improve the long-term social and economic well-being of producers and rural communities through fair market access, education, technical training, healthcare, infrastructure, and producer support.

Certifications

USDA Organic

Bird-Friendly

Fair Trade

CAC La Florida

CAC La Florida brings together nearly six decades of cooperative experience, a strong network of smallholder farming families, and a long-standing commitment to organic and sustainable coffee production. The tropical mountain environment of Peru’s Junín region, with elevations of approximately 1,100–1,800 MASL, abundant rainfall, moderate temperatures, and diverse soils, provides favorable conditions for producing balanced and expressive Arabica coffees.

The cooperative’s washed processing method highlights the natural character of the region, producing a clean and approachable cup with bright citrus acidity, creamy body, and a balanced sweetness. Flavors of milk chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, orange, tangerine, and floral aromatics create a profile that combines familiar sweetness with refreshing brightness.

For Artizan Coffee, CAC La Florida represents more than a quality coffee—it reflects the impact of farmer-led organization, responsible agriculture, and long-term community investment. With more than 800 smallholder families supported through technical training, certification programs, quality control, and sustainability initiatives, the cooperative demonstrates how coffee quality and producer development can grow together. Its commitment to organic farming, Fair Trade, and Bird Friendly practices makes this a meaningful expression of Peru’s coffee-growing communities and the values we look for in our coffees.