Mendoza - Peru

About the Coffee

Cooparm is a cooperative based in the Rodríguez de Mendoza area of Luya province, in Peru's Amazonas region. More than 500 smallholder farmers grow coffee across the Pisuquia district at elevations between 1,200 and 1,800 meters above sea level. The farms sit within high-altitude cloud forest, and members use chemical-free, organic farming practices to protect the soil and the surrounding ecosystem.

After hand-picking, the coffee is dried using solar drying methods and sorted by size, density, and color. Cooparm runs an in-house cupping lab where each batch is evaluated before it leaves the cooperative. That kind of quality control at origin is still relatively uncommon among cooperatives of this size, and it gives roasters like Hale a reliable baseline to work from.

The cooperative ties its farming practices to broader commitments around fair trade and community development. Keeping inputs chemical-free isn't just about cup quality — it's about maintaining the biodiversity of the cloud forest environment that these farms depend on long-term. The three main varietals grown here, Caturra, Bourbon, and Typica, are all traditional cultivars well suited to the region's altitude and climate.

About Hale

Hale Coffee started in Toronto, beginning on Queen and Spadina before moving to their current roastery in the Junction Triangle. They built their sourcing model around direct trade relationships with farmers, with the stated goal of making sure producers are paid fairly for their work.

Their sourcing approach leans toward building ongoing relationships rather than spot-buying. The Peru offering from Cooparm reflects that — a cooperative with traceable farming practices and in-house quality control that aligns with what Hale looks for when they're selecting coffees to roast.