Incahuasi, Peru

Founded in 2005 under the leadership of manager Claudio Ortiz Osis, Incahuasi is a cooperative in southern Peru, home to around 500 members organised into 13 committees, 11 in Inkawasi (Cusco) and 2 in Ayacucho.

With well-managed operations and communal processing stations, the cooperative plays a key role in supporting producers with limited individual resources.

The cooperative operates between 1,800 and 2,400 meters above sea level, beneath the Choqesafra snow-capped mountain in Inkawasi, La Convención province, Cusco region. Each producer typically manages around 1.5 hectares of coffee, with an average productivity of 22 quintales per hectare.

Communal processing stations are central to Incahuasi’s success, as they provide essential infrastructure for farmers who might otherwise lack the means to process their own coffee. While the cooperative once had a focus on natural coffees, production of naturals decreased in recent years as washed coffees achieved greater market success and higher prices.

Recently, with guidance from Nordic Approach, Incahuasi has reintroduced natural processing techniques. Using grain-pro fermentation bags and concentrating efforts within specific committees such as Cetrobamba and Pacyabamba, the cooperative has begun to see very promising results.

Harvest and Post-Harvest:

Harvesting is carried out collectively, with careful cherry selection across member communities. The renewed natural process emphasises controlled fermentation and extended drying at high altitudes, ensuring consistency and quality.

Coffee cultivation in the cooperative reflects ancestral Andean practices such as ayni and minca, values of reciprocity and collective work inherited from the Incas. Farms rely on shade-grown systems, irrigation, and soil conservation practices, producing high-quality Arabica with a balance of body, sweetness, acidity, and aroma.