Producer: Juan Peña
Farm: Hacienda La Papaya
Region: Loja Province
Altitude: 2,100 masl
Varietal: Typica, Pacas, Caturra, Catuaí, and San Salvador
Process: Anaerobic Natural
Roast: Light-Medium
Notes: Plum, Cedar, Strawberry

B7 refers to the seventh lot planted at Hacienda La Papaya. It is located in one of the highest areas of the farm, at 2,100 meters above sea level, and it acquires much of the sunlight during the day. Whereas the rest of the lots are single varietals, B7 is a mix of Typica, Pacas, Caturra, Catuai, and San Salvador.

After being harvested, selected, and cleaned, the cherries go to polyethylene tanks to be fermented for up to 240 hours after oxygen is forced out. Fermentation tanks are shaded so that temperatures during fermentation are not allowed to exceed 24° C (75° F). After fermenting, the cherries are transferred to drying rooms for approximately 30 days.

Fifth-generation farmer Juan Peña began planting coffee in 2009 and now has 16 hectares of coffee in production at Hacienda La Papaya in Loja, Ecuador. The coffee is fully irrigated and fertilized according to an ingenious system of Juan's design, with soil sensors that analyze the ideal fertilization mixture at any given time. There is also an extensive nursery on site which serves both to regenerate existing lots and nurture new varietals.

Along with Philip Smith, Juan Peña founded CafExporto in 2019 at first to serve as the exporting arm of La Papaya. It has now expanded to offering technical and educational support, processing expertise, and export services for producer partners in Loja, Zamora, and other regions throughout the country.

We visited Hacienda La Papaya and CafExporto most recently in August 2024. One thing we’ve enjoyed experiencing in person is how the unique geography and cultivation innovations at La Papaya make for an extended harvest season. 2024 was a fairly traditional weather-cycle year in Loja. This predictability, in tandem with Juan’s advanced irrigation system, allowed for first pickings to begin in late May, the harvest to be in full swing in August, and the final cherries to be collected in early October.