The Tres Lomas Story: Single Source

Tres Lomas traces its source to UC Berkeley/Haas where, during class breaks of 9-hour sessions,  Fernando would brew his own coffee from Peru, ignoring catered urns and nearby cafes. That habit got Josh curious: he tried the coffee and loved the smooth, rich taste. The two got talking about where it came from, and Fernando's own family roots in the Peruvian coffee industry. And then they talked about how to bring the coffee to more people: Haas is a famous business school. 

That was the start of the partnership which became Tres Lomas Trading. 

Distinct Approach

Tres Lomas is distinct in a crowded field of coffee products because it source roasts in Peru, taking advantage of local expertize in the growers, selectors and roasters - and also keeping much of the value close to the source. 

Paqari: unique coffee from a special place

Tres Lomas' first coffee import to the US is Paqari, which comes from below the Peruvian Andes and above the Amazon basin, in the transition zone nicknamed the eyebrow of the jungle. This is the beautiful San Martín district.

Coffee from San Martín, virtually unknown outside of Peru, is distinct on many levels. Coffee bushes (Typica, Bourbon, and Caturra varietals) are cultivated on small, remote plots. Many of the farmers are from the Kechwa-Lamas indigenous people, who have been growers for many centuries. and whose name reveals ancient ties to the land: Lamas is a variation of lomas: the hills. 

San Martín coffee is typically shade-grown under multiple canopies of native and fruit trees. This allows complex sugar development and natural fertilizers from the symbiotic use of nitrogen-fixing trees like the Ingwa. The chemical-free approach, together with strictly local sourcing, makes for a unique culture of natural farming. Harvesting is done by careful hand-selection at peak ripeness.

The result is a coffee cup which is clean, balanced, and chocolate-forward with gentle acidity: deeply approachable and never showy.

In case you were wondering enough to read all the way to the end: Paqari means "dawn" in Lamas Quechua.