The son of coffee producers, Eber Tocto never imagined he would end up back on his family's farm, but life brought him there nonetheless. In the nascent specialty coffee industry in Peru, Eber was among the first generation of cuppers to become Q Grader certified in the country. For years, he worked throughout the industry—for a dry mill, an importing company, and a producer cooperative, all before turning his focus to his family’s land. In 2011, Eber and his brothers began encouraging their father to make updates to the family farm and move toward the specialty coffee market. They planted different varieties and focused on organic and ecologically sustainable production. Stumptown was fortunate to purchase a small amount of coffee from the Tocto’s first harvest in 2014, and so the relationship was born. The next year, the Toctos incorporated 14 more producers to their model. The year following, the group was 46 strong. Today, Finca Churupampa—the name of the family farm and the producers’ association that grew out of it—represents 180 coffee farmers in the Chirinos area.

The town of Chirinos is so incredibly located—on a ridge line in the Andes at 1900 meters above sea level—it almost feels as if it were dropped right out of the sky. Here, on either side of winding mountain roads, coffee farms are planted on impressive slopes with views that stretch into infinity. Members of Finca Churupampa grow, process, and dry their coffee at home before delivering it to the purchase point in Chirinos. Each lot is weighed, sampled, and cupped for a quality and profile designation. On any given day during the harvest season in the Churupampa lab, you’ll see producers cupping their own coffees and receiving immediate feedback on lots they recently delivered.

The original Finca Churupampa is the epicenter of this organization. Eber and his brothers use their family’s land as a model farm to show producers what is possible using different harvest and post-harvest processing techniques. They’ve experimented with drying setups to find one that is both effective and economical for others to implement. They encourage growing traditional varieties like Caturra, Bourbon, and Typica and combating pests and disease through organic fertilizers and soil health. Eber is also passionate about the farm being a source for family consumption and the Toctos manage an abundant vegetable garden, sharing tips and techniques with the community. Over the years as our business together has grown, the Finca Churupampa team has invested in the expansion of their purchasing station and lab, and the renovation of their coffee warehouse.

In 2017, Stumptown provided seed money for an organic compost system designed and led by Eber. With funding from Stumptown in 2018, the original compost project on Finca Churupampa was extended to eight other small farms that contribute to the Churupampa lots. By 2021, 28 members had constructed their own compost plants and are now producing organic fertilizers for nutrient-rich and productive soil. Eber has also developed a technology to pelletize the compost for more efficient distribution. All of these efforts stem from a belief that farmers in Chirinos can produce delicious, high-quality coffees in a way that protects their environment. We’re continually impressed by this group’s leadership, and honored to offer their coffee.