Every cup of our coffee has a story, and the tale of our Peruvian coffee is one of our longest. It begins in 2003 with Dean meeting Esperanza Dionisio, a certified agronomist and former head of the Pangoa Cooperative, at a Specialty Coffee Association conference. The story continues today with our enduring relationship with the dedicated farmers at Pangoa. Since 2003, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside them, to bring you incredible coffee and to help build a sustainable future for their families and communities.
Esperanza (right) and a member of the Pangoa cooperative.
One of the longest ongoing projects we’ve worked on together is reforestation. With the leadership of local farmers, we’ve planted over 300,000 native hardwood and fruit trees - in Peru alone!
These trees provide many critical benefits:
• Shade for coffee plants
• Food for farming families
• Additional income when they sell the fruit locally
• Prevent erosion (Peruvian coffee grows on mountains)
• Help restore the land
The farmers at Pangoa take immense pride in their work, not only growing high-quality coffee but also preserving biodiversity. All of our Peruvian coffees are Smithsonian Migratory Bird Friendly Certified, which means the land is a natural haven for migratory birds and other wildlife. Biodiversity is a core element of a healthy ecosystem, and our Peruvian partners are masters.
Because of our partnerships with farming cooperatives around the world, and their dedication to reforestation and habitat restoration, the many hundreds of thousands of trees planted through these initiatives have absorbed more carbon than Dean’s Beans produces each year — helping to make us a carbon-neutral company. That means every sip of your favorite brew actively helps fight climate change!
So, next time you enjoy your morning cup, know that you’re part of something bigger. You’re supporting farmers who are working hard to grow delicious coffee while protecting their land, their communities, and the planet. That’s how we brew great coffee to create real change.
Want to help? Check out our latest Peruvian coffees and taste the impact for yourself.
