Pepe is quite the interesting character! Born in Brazil, Pepe is actually a trained psychologist. Before coffee he spent much of his time mountaineering and was the first Latin American to solo climb all the seven summits – the highest peaks on each of the seven continents – as well as joining expeditions to some of the world’s most inhospitable places, the North and South pole and Greenland. He also climbed the highest peaks in Ecuador several times as a mountain guide and whilst working for the red cross there he found and purchased a farm in Intag with his father. A few years after acquiring the land, he was introduced to coffee farming by the local coffee Cooperative, and ever since this has been his love and passion.
His passion for the culture and industry of coffee inspired him to gain several important certifications in order to understand the product better and enable him to perfect his processing protocols. Pepe’s adventurous character permeates everything he does, and he loves experimenting with different processes. His passionate approach has created some absolute masterpieces!
One of his principal motivations to work in coffee production has been the possibility of contributing to economic and environmental sustainability around his region and the world. For Pepe, the ability to live on the land, appreciating the flowering cycle of the coffee plant, and to also support the development of Ecuador is a deep passion.
Finca Soledad is where Pepe finds peace and the stunning farm overlooks a beautiful valley and is surrounded by a restored forest. All of this natural wonder can be tasted in the coffees that Pepe produces. Pepe has a deep-seated belief in listening to, and respecting nature, and approaches agriculture with a biodynamic mindset, thinking of the farm in a holistic manner and harvesting according to the cycles of the moon. In his own words “We believe that nature speaks a silent language through coffee, and it is our responsibility to convey it properly”.