Story & Background

Before his coffee journey, Pepe had a successful career in mountaineering, becoming the first Latin American to solo climb the Seven Summits. He then completely redirected his career to nourish and cultivate the earth by growing coffee in the Intag Valley in the Imbabura province of Ecuador on 4 hectares within 120 hectares of cloud forest.

Biodynamic Cultivation

Pepe views his farm as a living organism. His farm, Finca Soledad is located in a world heritage site for biodiversity. The Chocó Andino, is home to around 10,000 species of plants.

Pepes Goal is to keep the coffee alive throughout the processing and express the terroir in the cup. To do this coffee is grown under the shade of a forest canopy. Being grown in a diverse environment of trees and plants, this provides enriched soil for the coffee to grow in as well as produce a more biodiverse environment for organisms to thrive. The shade also slows down the ripening process, which results in a higher quality, more flavorful and complex profile.

Community

Finca Soledad became about more than just growing coffee; it was also about helping the community around him. Pepe and his family support and employ single mothers who have been abandoned. They all work together to create the most incredible coffee product.