We were approached a couple of months ago by David Palazuelos from Algrano about a trip to Peru to visit the cooperative Rutas del Inca. More info on them here: (Inicio | Rutas del inca). We were ecstatic to join David, as well as Aaron and Allison Jordan from Roast House Coffee and Kristian and Janee from Sisters Coffee.
The main goal of attending this trip was to actually source coffee from Peru — to meet the farmers in person who grow the coffee we will roast in the future. Something we had never done until now. Not only did we get an up-close and personal view of the coffee we roast and serve to customers, but we also built meaningful relationships with these producers. Traditionally, roasters and farmers never had much face-to-face time, but thanks to Algrano, we now have the support we need to change that.
Attending were Julian Ramirez, Head of Marketing, and Luci Ramirez, Owner.
First Impressions of Peru
Our first impressions of Peru came from the sheer beauty — we had never seen such stunning mountains, which is saying something coming from Humboldt County. The next thing that really stood out was the kind demeanor of the people we met. The hospitality from our hosts at Rutas del Inca was unbelievable.
We were picked up from the airport and just so happened to hop into Wilder’s beautiful Toyota Hilux, decked out with all the bells and whistles. No, literally — he had a custom horn I could only describe as a clown horn hooked up to a leaf blower. It turned out to be surprisingly useful throughout the trip. We didn’t know it yet, but we’d develop a great friendship and trust with Wilder. He navigated the chaos of driving in the city and the narrow mountain roads all while cracking jokes. Not only is the head of transport for Rutas but he is a coffee farmer as well.
That first night, we met up with the group we’d spend the next five days with and shared a delicious dinner of ceviche, arroz con pato (duck with rice), and many other tasty dishes.
Into the Mountains
The next morning, we began the four-hour drive from Chiclayo to Querocoto bright and early. As we ascended into the mountains, Wilder carefully navigated each blind corner with a couple of warning honks for oncoming traffic. The views were breathtaking — deep green mountains under a blue sky.
When we arrived, we met a familiar face: José, the General Manager of Rutas del Inca, whom Luci had met at the SCA Expo in Houston. He and his team welcomed us with open arms. Upstairs in their main office, we sat down with the Rutas del Inca team. After introductions and discussions, we began our first cupping of the trip with the quality control team.
Afterward, we headed back to the small hotel restaurant we’d call home for the next few days.
The following morning, we headed out to visit three coffee farmers in neighboring towns.
Meeting the Farmers
The first farmer we visited was Don Celso, a founding member of Rutas del Inca who continues to contribute 100% of his yield to the cooperative. His farm showed his expertise and gave us real insight into the daily life of coffee producers in the area. A highlight was sampling the cherries right off the coffee trees — sweet, floral, and almost like honeysuckle with a deeper fruit note.
(People left to right Luci Ramirez, Don Celso, David Palazuelos)
He guided us through his drying beds and nursery, where he nurtures hundreds of new coffee plants to share with other farmers.
Our next stop was Don Afrain’s farm, another founding member of Rutas. His older plants reached nearly seven feet tall, covered in bright red cherries ready for harvest. We came at an opportune time — he had planned to harvest that day but postponed due to rain. This allowed us to taste cherries that would’ve otherwise gone straight into bags. The flavor was strikingly different from Don Celso’s, even though the farms were only 30 minutes apart.
Finally, we visited Don Aurelio, the President of Compliance for Rutas del Inca. His farm doubled as a meeting spot for members of the coop — a place for sharing meals and conversation. We were greeted by the smell of pork frying over an open fire. Soon, we gathered in a circle and introduced ourselves.
Once again, their hospitality shined as plates piled high with pork, yucca, and rice were passed around. As we shared the meal, I was handed a Pepsi bottle and a bamboo shot glass and encouraged to drink. It definitely wasn’t Pepsi — more like an alcoholic spiced apple cider! We finished the bottle as is customary before heading out.
Later that evening, we stopped to pick up fresh coffee from the President of the coop. He invited us to his newly built home and offered us llonque, a sugarcane liquor similar to moonshine. Custom dictates you finish the bottle, so between the five of us, it was quite the scene when we stumbled back up the trail in the dark. Somehow, some of the team still managed to haul a 100-pound bag of coffee up to the truck.
Cupping and Selection
The next morning, we woke up at a respectable 8 a.m. and headed to the office for a full day of cupping sessions tailored to each roaster’s needs. After what felt like a thousand sips of coffee and ten hours of tasting, we were ready to secure our selections for the upcoming year. One standout was Wilder’s coffee, which impressed us immediately and became an easy choice to bring home. We expect to release this coffee in the January 2026. With our deals finalized, we wrapped up the day with a celebratory drink and ended the evening on a high note — getting shuttled back to dinner on the back of motorcycles.
The Dry Mill & Journey Back
The following day, we hit the road again with Willard, heading toward Jaén to tour the dry mill where coffee is processed for export. On the way, we stopped at La Tilapia, a restaurant serving — you guessed it — fried tilapia or tilapia ceviche, located right next to a fish farm.
At the dry mill, we were given hard hats and safety vests for a guided tour, seeing another crucial stage in the coffee’s journey from farm to cup. We ended the day with our final cupping alongside Rutas’ quality control team, wrapping up what had been an unforgettable trip.
That night in Jaén, we enjoyed dinner, visited a local coffee shop, and ended the night at a small brewery reflecting on how the trip had impacted us.
The next day, we returned to Chiclayo, where our journey began, and shared one last dinner together before saying our goodbyes.
As I headed home, Luci continued on to Mexico with David and Kat for another coffee-related event — we’ll be sharing more on that soon.
Final Thoughts
This trip was a huge step for Humboldt Bay Coffee and for our customers. When you buy from Humboldt Bay Coffee, you’re not just supporting us and our families — you’re also supporting the families who grow the coffee you enjoy every day.
After more than a decade in coffee roasting, we’ve finally achieved one of our biggest goals: visiting and forming relationships with the producers behind our coffee. This trip strengthened our commitment to honoring the people who work tirelessly to grow these incredible beans.
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