We’ve known Simon Brown for many years and have travelled with him in various producing countries during his time as head of sourcing for a large importer. For the last few years however, he’s been based in Peru where he has settled and made a home for himself as well as starting a family.
In 2019 Simon purchased Las Etíopes, a 7ha farm situated in the village of El Porvenir in Jaén, Cajamarca. The farm sits at an altitude of 1,900 masl and reaches 2,050 masl at its peak. In early 2020 the first trees were planted and consist of Ethiopian heirloom varieties, Gesha, Wush Wush and Sidra.
in 2021, Simon and his partner Merlith Cruz expanded the farm by buying a further 3 hectares of land sitting between 1,750 and 1,900 masl, which was planted with Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Catimor and a small amount of Pacamara. These local varieties, when combined with the high altitudes, organic matter rich soils, and humid climate produce coffees with a pronounced acidity and great body. 2022 was the first season in which they produced enough coffee to export and a farm blend of the varieties grown there won them 19th place in the Cup of Excellence last year!