In 2023, Wild Coffee Peru began with a simple but ambitious idea: to create new opportunities for specialty coffee producers in Santa Teresa, Cusco. While working together at the Vertikal Hotel, Pablino Mayorga, Nilton Surco, and Kevin Andrade decided to explore the coffee-growing communities of the region and build direct connections with local producers.

The first visits started in Sacsara, a remote coffee-producing area surrounded by mountains, cloud forests, and exceptional growing conditions. What began as a small initiative quickly expanded into neighboring coffee communities such as Salkantay, Vilcanota, Lucmabamba, and Yanatile, where producers shared the same desire to improve quality, visibility, and market access.

On February 8, 2023, the first official meeting was held in Santa Teresa with the support of local producers and community leaders. That day marked the creation of the Asociación de Productores de Café Especial Valle Santa Teresa, bringing together coffee-growing families committed to producing high-quality specialty coffees from the Peruvian Andes.

One of the first projects was the creation of a coffee museum and interpretation center in Cocalmayo, one of the region’s main tourist destinations near Machu Picchu. The goal was to create a space where travelers could discover the culture, origin, and quality of Santa Teresa coffee through tastings and educational experiences.

Despite initial enthusiasm, financial limitations became one of the association’s greatest challenges. With limited resources, the founders invested their personal savings to rent a small space in Santa Teresa, purchase coffee equipment, and open the first coffee tasting and educational space under the Wild Coffee Peru vision.

During this period, tourism in Peru declined significantly due to the country’s political situation, making operations even more difficult. However, the project continued moving forward through determination, collaboration, and the belief that Santa Teresa coffee deserved international recognition.

Everything changed when a visitor from Spain named Eugenio arrived at the café and became deeply interested in the coffees of the region. After visiting local farms and tasting Geisha coffees cultivated at over 2,200 meters above sea level, he proposed a direct collaboration to export specialty coffee to Europe.

The first export operation represented a major challenge. The team needed to organize coffee collection, finance purchases from producers, learn export logistics, improve quality control, and complete all export documentation without significant capital. With the trust and patience of local producers, the first specialty coffee shipment was successfully exported to Spain.

Although the first export generated little financial return due to high logistics costs, it marked the beginning of a long-term vision. In 2024, the association expanded rapidly, integrating more producers and increasing export volumes while continuing to prioritize fair pricing and direct trade relationships.

Today, Wild Coffee Peru works with more than 150 specialty coffee producers across Santa Teresa and surrounding regions. Our coffees are reaching international markets in Europe, North America, and beyond — connecting coffee lovers, roasters, and buyers directly with the origin, people, and culture behind every cup.