Producer & Farm
Juan Peña is an agronomist and coffee producer who has built Hacienda La Papaya into one of the most respected and acclaimed farms in the world. His coffees have earned recognition through high scores in international barista competitions and partnerships with some of the most celebrated specialty roasters globally. What sets Hacienda La Papaya apart is the degree of control Juan exercises across every stage of production — a standard he calls Juan Peña Certified.
This certification covers the entire chain: from a genetic bank where only second-generation seeds are maintained, to technically advanced soil enrichment practices, to post-harvest processing refined over years of experimentation, to the most advanced dry-mill equipment and management in Ecuador. Nothing is left to chance.
Central to this approach is Integrated Coffee Pulse — a proprietary monitoring system developed by Juan Peña that tracks soil nutrition, moisture, and environmental data across every farm lot in real time. This precision allows for optimal fertilization tailored to each lot, uniform cherry maturation across elevations, and stable moisture content and bean density — producing exceptional bean homogeneity that is a direct gift to the roaster, enabling precise heat control and reproducible, nuanced flavor development.
Varietal: Typica Mejorado
Typica Mejorado is a variety of which Juan Peña is a true pioneer — and it is more than a cultivar. Born from the marriage of classic Typica lineage and Ethiopian landrace genetics, it carries a dual heritage: the elegance and balance of traditional Typica, fused with the vivid floral and fruit complexity of Ethiopia's ancient varieties. The result is a coffee that is unmistakably clean, deeply sweet, and endlessly expressive.
Grown in Loja under twelve hours of equatorial sunlight, with cool Andean nights and pure volcanic soils, Typica Mejorado cherries ripen slowly and accumulate sugars gradually — producing a cup of luminous sweetness and refined structure. It is, in many ways, Ecuador's answer to Gesha: the variety that best expresses the country's terroir, with a lineage as complex as its flavor.
Process
Natural processed over 20–30 days, with a level of precision that sets it apart from conventional naturals. Cherries are selectively handpicked at peak ripeness, rinsed with clean Andean water, and sorted so only the densest, most pristine fruit enters the drying phase. From there, the cherries move to solar drying rooms or raised beds equipped with Integrated Coffee Pulse sensors that monitor temperature, humidity, and airflow in real time — automatically adjusting ventilation and shading to maintain stable drying curves and prevent fermentation defects.
The cherries are turned several times daily throughout the extended drying period, allowing natural sugars and fruit esters to infuse deeply into the seed. After drying, the coffee rests in parchment for stabilization, ensuring balanced internal humidity and a clean, expressive final cup.
Cup Profile
Rich and layered, with the complexity of a carefully composed bouquet. Ripe plum and cherry cordial lead with deep, dark fruit sweetness and a bright tartness that keeps the cup lively. Tropical notes add lift and acidity mid-palate, before a refined honeysuckle florality carries through the finish with elegance and length. Expressive but composed — a coffee that reveals itself slowly and rewards attention.
