Ismeria León’s farm, La Lúcuma, is in the Santa Teresa region of northern Peru, situated at 2200 meters above sea level. Her coffee career began in 2015 when she, together with her sister and neighbours, realised that the rich soils, abundant sunshine and cool temperatures of their microclimate offered the perfect environment for growing coffee. Ever since, Ismeria has been driven to increase her knowledge and improve her practices, and is now garnering an excellent reputation for the quality of her coffee right through to her precise and considered processing.
Ismeria is a single mother of 4, and her eldest helps with the farm while the younger siblings focus on their studies. She takes immense pride in her 2 hectare farm, named after a lúcuma tree that grows at its centre, and is part of Aromas Del Valle, a cooperative with around 300 members. The coop aims to enhance representation of these smaller farms, facilitate greater participation and enable access to funding.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.
