Peru’s Specialty Coffee Sector Enters a New Era, Says New Harvest Guide – CoffeeTalk

96-page publication documents the people, producers and innovations shaping Peru’s next chapter in specialty coffee.

Coffee is Peru’s leading traditional agricultural export, supporting the livelihoods of more than 223,000 coffee-producing families and over 2 million people across the country’s coffee value chain. Exported to more than 50 countries worldwide, coffee plays a vital role in Peru’s rural economy. Yet despite its scale, much of Peru’s specialty coffee sector remains relatively underrepresented internationally.

A new 96-page Peruvian Coffee Harvest Guide 2025/26, published by UK green coffee importer Khipu Coffee, aims to offer a deeper look into the country and the people, farms and organisations helping shape its future as a specialty coffee origin.

Produced over four months and built upon five years of sourcing coffee throughout Peru, the guide combines first-hand experiences from producing regions with conversations with coffee producers, producer organisations and local industry leaders. Rather than serving as a traditional catalogue or offer list, the publication documents the wider evolution of Peru’s coffee sector through regional stories, producer profiles, coffee processing, varietal development and the social and economic changes taking place across producing communities.

The guide features coffees sourced across six producing regions and includes stories from seven producers, four farms and two producer organisations. Across its 96 pages are more than twenty original photographs, detailed coffee profiles, over ten coffee varieties and more than ten processing methods. It also introduces a framework showing how different coffees can fit within a roaster’s menu, helping bridge the gap between coffee production at origin and purchasing decisions made by specialty coffee roasters.

Among the themes explored are the growing adoption of experimental processing methods such as natural and anaerobic fermentations, increasing interest in rare varieties including SL09 (“Inca Geisha”), continued investment in quality, the expansion of domestic specialty coffee culture, improvements in local processing infrastructure and the emergence of a new generation of producers focused on creating more value within producing communities.

Alongside coffee production, the guide examines wider topics including climate change, migration, producer economics, regional development, sustainability, traceability, coffee tourism and the role producer organisations are playing in raising quality and strengthening market access.

Since being founded in 2021, Khipu Coffee has worked across seven of Peru’s coffee-producing regions, building relationships with more than thirty producers and exporting coffees to customers throughout the United Kingdom. Through its roasting partners, coffees sourced by Khipu now reach consumers across Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Romania, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.

“Every harvest raises new questions about Peruvian coffee. Producing this guide has become our way of documenting what we learn—not just about coffee quality, but about the people, communities and ideas shaping Peru’s future.

What stood out most this harvest was the resilience of producers and their determination to continually improve their livelihoods. Across the country we’re seeing younger generations returning to coffee, more experimentation with varieties and processing, greater investment in quality and communities looking beyond simply producing coffee towards creating long-term value.

We hope readers finish the guide seeing Peru not only as an exceptional coffee origin, but as a country worth exploring—both in person and on coffee menus.”

— Mark Russell, Founder, Khipu Coffee

The publication identifies five themes that Khipu Coffee believes are defining Peru’s current coffee landscape:

• A new generation of producers is investing in quality and long-term farm development.
• Experimental processing methods are becoming increasingly common.
• Rare coffee varieties such as SL09 (“Inca Geisha”) are attracting growing international interest.
• More value is being retained at origin through local roasting, processing and producer-led initiatives.
• Peru’s reputation as a specialty coffee origin continues to strengthen as buyers seek greater diversity and traceability.

Mark Russell, Founder of Khipu Coffee, believes these changes reflect a broader shift taking place across Peru’s coffee sector.

“Peruvian coffee has been going from strength to strength over the last few years, and this isn’t an overnight success. The last decade has seen significant progress across Peru’s agricultural sector, and we’re now seeing that momentum reflected in coffee.

For many years, Peru was best known internationally for producing certified organic coffees and reliable blend components. Today, it is increasingly competing across every category of a specialty coffee menu, from approachable everyday coffees to exceptional microlots and experimental processes.

The 2025/26 harvest has been particularly exciting. The growing recognition of Peru’s own varietal, SL09, is generating real interest among specialty coffee buyers around the world, while producers continue to invest in quality, new processing methods and greater value at origin. For me, that’s what makes Peru one of the most exciting coffee origins to watch today.” 

The Peruvian Coffee Harvest Guide 2025/26 is available to read online free of charge and is intended as a resource for coffee professionals, roasters and anyone interested in understanding the changing landscape of Peruvian specialty coffee.

Founded in 2021, Khipu Coffee sources specialty green coffee directly from producers and producer organisations across Peru. Working across seven coffee-producing regions, the company focuses on transparency, long-term relationships and connecting roasters with distinctive coffees and the stories behind them.