CAC Pangoa

Location: Pangoa, Peru

Varietal: Heirloom beans

Flavour notes: Very fruity – berries and cherry notes

Description

CAC Pangoa began in 1977, when a group of 50 coffee farmers belonging to the Satipo Cooperative saw the convenience of setting up their own cooperative in the heart of Peru, the Pangoa District. Despite CAC Pangoa’s promising beginnings, however, the group suffered great losses as its membership was diminished by violent political tensions that arose during what came to be known as El Periodo del Terrorismo. As the conflict continued through the 1980’s, peasants increasingly became the target of violence, first on the part of the military, and later by the insurgent group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). Many farmers fled to urban centers to escape the violence that persisted in the countryside that forms much of the Pangoa region.

Today, the cooperative continues to recover, counting 700 small-scale farmers among its membership, continuing to serve its mission to make a positive economic and environmental impact on the lives of Peruvian coffee producers. As the coffee plants have aged, the cooperative’s farmers have increasingly turned to fine-flavour cocoa as a sustainable and safe replacement. The cooperative also aims to develop their local community through programs focused on economic and social empowerment, including education, health and reforestation to combat the impact of local illegal logging.

Harvest Times: Coming soon.

Harvest Volumes: Coming soon.

Number of Farmers: 700 overall, 100 cacao farmers.

Hectares Farmed: Coming soon.

Farming Notes: Coming soon.

Fermentation and Drying Notes: Wet beans are brought directly from the farmers to the coop, where cooperative assistants ferment and dry them in one centralised location. The coop also provides technical assistance in pest prevention, allowing farmers to increase yields and improve cacao quality.