For the second consecutive year, we have the privilege of collaborating with Elmer Arenas Mondragon, a third-generation coffee producer who owns two small farms on the outskirts of Vista Alegre. In addition to producing coffee, Elmer and his wife also grow plantains and guavas for personal consumption and to sell in their small neighborhood shop. This coffee offers a rather classic cup as a filter, with medium acidity, a beautiful creamy texture, and flavors reminiscent of gala apple, pecan, and milk chocolate. As espresso, Elmer's coffee shines with notes of cantaloupe, candied orange, and almond paste. A juicy coffee with a nice, caramelized finish; it’s like candy in a cup! Origin Coffee Labs is a Peruvian coffee exporter whose goal is to empower farmers to make sustainable changes. They work hard to ensure that the region's producers are paid fairly, while cultivating coffee cherries of exceptional quality. They now have a collection point in the area for locals and offer several workshops on coffee cherry processing. Thanks to their collaboration with the farmers, they have seen a significant increase in the quality of the coffee beans, as well as a substantial increase in the amount of coffee produced per tree, resulting in much higher yields without expanding the farms. Once again, this year, Elmer’s Caturra coffee is among those selected for our "Back to the Origin" initiative, where 50 cents from each bag sold goes directly to the producer. Thanks to this program last year, we were able to provide Elmer with a moisture reader, a crucial piece of equipment to help him produce coffee of exceptional quality.