Mendoza de Rodríguez is often described as “el paraíso perdido, que es lejos de todos lados”—a hidden paradise, far from everywhere.
Reaching this remote valley is not straightforward. From Lima, you can either fly to Chiclayo or Tarapoto, followed by 10+ hour bus journey crossing the Andes or moving through dense Amazonian forests. The most direct route (when weather allows) is a small plane to Chachapoyas, the historic gateway to the region. From there, a three-hour drive winds along steep Andean slopes, overlooking the Río Sancho, before descending into Mendoza.
This isolation defines the region—shaping its communities, its culture, and its coffee.
Surrounded by mountains, Mendoza has preserved many of its traditional ways of living. The region is deeply connected to the legacy of the Chachapoya civilization (900–1400 CE), known as “los guerreros de las nubes”—the warriors of the clouds.
Even after Inca and later Spanish conquest, the mindset and cultural identity endured. Today, this spirit still lives on in the remote communities of Amazonas, reflected in strong social structures, a collective approach to farming, and deep respect for the natural environment.
Due to this isolation, communities have always relied on natural resources and managing them in a careful, regenerative way. As a result, most coffee in the region is grown under organic practices, with systems that prioritize long-term soil health and ecosystem balance.
Within this context, Monteverde has played a pioneering role by introducing structured farm management and sustainable practices, helping to elevate both productivity and quality while maintaining this deep connection to nature.
Monteverde, founded in 2003 by Alfonso and Karim Tejada, has been instrumental in transforming Mendoza into a recognized specialty coffee origin. At a time when the region lacked structure and traceability, Monteverde helped organize farmer communities and connect them to international markets. The establishment of Monteverde’s own Arábicafe, the region’s first dry mill, was a turning point.
Before this, coffee had to travel to Bagua for processing, often losing traceability and quality along the way. Today, Arábiccafe enables local processing and export, full control over quality and logistics, and consolidation of coffees from 9+ cooperatives. Mendoza has since evolved into a strategic coffee hub for Amazonas.
“It was always about respect for the community and nature, while increasing traceability at every level.”
Monteverde operates as a fully integrated system across multiple layers of the value chain:
Through this structure, Monteverde connects its own production with a broad regional network, including access to coffees from 9 partnered cooperatives across Mendoza.
This central hub model makes Monteverde one of the most flexible suppliers in the region. By combining coffees from its own finca, affiliated producers, and partner cooperatives, Monteverde is able to offer a diverse portfolio across a wide range of qualities and volumes—from consistent community blends to high-end microlots.
Monteverde invests heavily in infrastructure, training, and sustainability, with clear and measurable goals across productivity, soil and water management, biodiversity, and carbon footprint. Notably, they are one of the few exporters in the region with a dedicated sustainability specialist, fully focused on driving these initiatives forward. Each category for sustainable impact combines various goals, such as renovation for four million coffee trees, construction of 400 composting systems and potable water units, soil analysis for 10% of coop producers, amongst many other initiatives.
Furthermore, Finca Timbuyacu stands as a one-of-a-kind model farm that serves as a global learning hub. Producers from across Peru and beyond visit the farm to exchange knowledge and learn best practices in sustainable coffee production. By 2026, they plan to establish 160 model farms across their cooperative network, with a strong focus on remote areas, enabling better access to training, knowledge, and improved farming practices for producers who are otherwise difficult to reach.
Thanks to its unique climatic conditions, the Amazonas region is known for its high productivity. At the same time, high humidity and unpredictable rainfall pose significant challenges for drying and processing.
To create more stable conditions, most producers rely on solar drying tents at the farm level. While these systems limit space and flexibility, they significantly improve drying consistency and overall cup quality. As a result, production is largely focused on washed coffees, which require shorter drying times. Natural and honey processes, with longer drying requirements, are typically limited to the beginning and end of the harvest season.
To further improve efficiency and sustainability, Monteverde has introduced fermentation tanks (tanque tinka) across its producer network. These systems Improve fermentation consistency and reduce water usage from ~20 L/kg to ~5 L/kg of cherry. In addition, Monteverde promotes the use of artesian wells and natural filtration systems, helping to prevent contamination of soils and water sources.
Today, most coffee from southern Amazonas flows through Mendoza and Arábiccafe, where Karim Tejada and her team cup around 3,000 samples each harvest—one per lot. All coffees are fully documented and traceable back to individual producers and delivery dates.
Across the region, coffees show a consistent profile of citrus acidity, cocoa-like sweetness, and a clean herbal finish. This is shaped by the region’s fertile yet acidic soils, resulting in bright, structured cups with a slightly dry, tea-like character.
At higher elevations, producers cultivate more refined varieties such as Geisha, Bourbon, and Maragogype, unlocking greater complexity and microlot production.
Based on the quality lots will be classified for one of the following categories:
Monteverde is our central access point to the Amazonas region in Peru. Since 2016, we have worked closely together, building a strong foundation based on trust, transparency, and long-term partnership.
Through their integrated structure and central role in Mendoza, Monteverde offers one of the most flexible sourcing models in the region—with access to a wide portfolio of coffees across different qualities and volumes. At the same time, they continue to invest heavily in the development of the regional coffee sector, strengthening infrastructure, knowledge, and market access.
When speaking with surrounding cooperatives, it becomes clear that Monteverde has played a crucial role in positioning Mendoza de Rodríguez as a recognized origin for Amazonian coffee. Their impact extends beyond their own operations—acting as a connector, facilitator, and driver of progress across the entire region.