Quality drives market demand at premium prices, immediately impacting household revenue. Quality demands training and investment, opening the door to Good Agricultural Practices and incentivising improved environmental stewardship.
There is no greater commercial achievement for a coffee producer than placing in the Cup of Excellence competition. It is a badge of honour that provides life changing recognition for producers who go the extra mile with their investments of time, resources and skills. It is the industry gold standard for driving world class quality. Hundreds of farmers enter these competitions, very few make the top ten due to the rigorous scoring criteria.

In 2018 Falcon Coffees Peru was established in the northern town of Jaen with an initial intake of 35 farmers. Among them is Eli Espinoza, owner of a small, four-hectare farm, high up in the village of Las Pirias. In 2019 Eli entered the Cup of Excellence Peru competition for the first time. He was unsuccessful but receives vital feedback on how to build on his knowledge and lift his crop quality. Under the guidance of Falcon’s agronomist, our team in Jaen set to work deriving the maximum potential from Eli’s farm. A solar dryer was installed with Falcon’s help and Eli began to experiment with natural processing.

In 2020 Eli re-entered Cup of Excellence Peru and won 8th place with a score of 88.73. This marked the first time ever a natural coffee has placed in the top 10.

In the same year another Falcon Coffees Peru farmer, Fidel Huancas, enters the competition for the first time and wins 4th place with a score of 88.92. Falcon paid $15.50/lb ($34.17/kg) for this micro lot of 538lbs (244kg). Fidel earned $10,211 and doubled his household income for the year.
In the 2021 competition, a total of 5 Falcon Coffees Peru farmers placed in the top 24 with 2 in the top 10. Falcon purchased 3 of these lots paying an average price of 1540 c/lb and doubling the household income for these farmers:

José Elmer Tineo Mendoza placed 3rd with a cup score of 90. Falcon paid $7,301.5 for the lot of 264.55lbs (119kg) at $27.60/lb ($60.84/kg).

Orlando Pedraza Ramírez placed 23rd with a cup score of 87.19. Falcon paid $8,350.75 for the lot of 545.8lbs (247kg) at $15.30/lb ($33.7/kg).

Saúl Menor Taica placed 24th with a cup score of 87.9. Falcon paid $10,045. for the lot of 652.28lbs (295kg) at $15.40/lb ($33.9/kg).

Grimanes Morales Lizana placed 9th.

Irma Espinoza García placed 17th .