Peruvian specialty coffee: for all tastes

The Peruvian specialty coffee menu has the variety to satisfy all tastes. Those who prefer a full-bodied or chocolatey coffee have the southern region. Those who like more fruity, with greater acidity and intensity, have the north and center. The mountain range and mountainous jungle give that height that make Peruvian coffee the main actor in the segment of soft washed coffees.

There is no doubt that the advantage of living in a producing country allows you to enjoy a good specialty coffee, at home or abroad. In Peru, the sensory experience of enjoying a specialty coffee is wide and varies according to its origin, the latter will depend on which flavor attributes it will have: floral, fruity, sweet, chocolate, nuts, spices, body and acidity.

Knowledge about specialty coffee in this country has favored the local business scene for specialty coffee shops. The last decade has seen the emergence of several specialty coffee shops and roasters. By 2019, it was estimated that there were more than 180 specialty coffee shops in Lima alone.

A specialty coffee shop can provide more than one method of making coffee, have a barista, and often offer coffees from a variety of origins. In addition, they provide a sophisticated and specialized experience that combines the enjoyment of the drink, with the exquisiteness of its preparation and the environment that provides it. Just as fusion restaurants have been energizers of Peruvian gastronomy, specialty coffee shops have given a new look and image to coffee in Peru.

The increase in specialty coffee shops is also encouraging in the urban areas of the Peruvian provinces, where coffee consumption for 2020 has grown in volume and value by 9% compared to 2018. This trend is in line with the global trend, which indicates that the global specialty coffee shop market would grow by USD 80.78 billion during the 2020-2024 period (Technavio).

Currently, Peruvian coffee producers have benefited, because despite the pandemic, they increased their sales of ground coffee by 7% in 2020. This chain actor influences the work of the barista, since it is he who supplies green bean coffee from the specific geographic microclimates where it is grown. His work, making the specialty coffee in the final drink, can meet the characteristics: high quality, particular flavor and cultivation. (Pilar et al., 2004)

The pandemic has united the actors of the Peruvian chain, as producers, out of necessity and to diversify their income, began to see the potential for sales in the domestic market. Meanwhile, the cafeteria owners incorporated their products at a more accessible price to the local consumer, seeking to build loyalty and achieve a long-term commitment to the supply chain.

Both actors adapted, while ensuring good service, which, in Peru, is characterized by its hospitality. The great challenge in the context of sanitary restrictions is to continue ensuring an intimate experience of Peruvian specialty coffee consumption and to have more options, in a country that has more than 400 districts that produce coffee.

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Cafeteguía. What are specialty coffee shops? 

Peruvian Chamber of Coffee and Cocoa. (2019). The excellence of coffee shops in Lima.

Castro, P., Contreras, Y., Laca, D., Nakamatsu, K. (2004). Specialty coffee: Alternative for the Peruvian coffee sector.

Coffee Cultural Forum. Specialty coffees in times of Covid-19.

Images: Pixabay, shopify

Ineffable. Coffe Roasters. (2020). Specialty coffee.

Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation

PromPeru. (2019). Aromas and flavors. The sensory map of Peruvian coffee.

Technavio. Research Report: Specialty Coffee Shops Market (2020-2024) | Increasing Consumption of Coffee to Boost the Market Growth | Technavio