Abeja Reina

Cantón Puyango

certifications:

C.A.F.E. Practices

Story

Puyango stands out for the production of specialty coffee and also for its management of integrating the farms with beekeeping using MELIPONAS bees, which are characterized by not having a stinger, which makes them easy to manage and coexist with them, even having hives in the corridors of their houses and coffee plantations. Nearly 90% of the producers work with this type of mix (Coffee/Bees), thus having another source of income to help their families. This work is generally done by women.

As a fun fact, Puyango declared Melipona bees as heritage in 2019 .

Within an environmentally friendly ecosystem, the production of Melipona honey is carried out in integral coffee farms, being the coffee flower the main source of nectar that they use to produce their honey, and they in turn help the pollination of coffee and fruit trees which is a key process for food production.

By buying this coffee you are helping to take care of the planet.

Contributing Producers

They are women who balance their responsibilities between managing their homes and tending to their crops, which are cultivated using agroforestry systems that prioritize environmentally friendly practices.

They are dedicated and hardworking, producing high-quality coffee year after year, supported by PECA's technical assistance. On average, each woman manages around 1.5 hectares of land.

Before partnering with Caravela, they sold their crops to intermediaries, earning minimal profit due to low prices. This forced their husbands to seek work off the farm, leaving the women to manage both the farm and care for small livestock.

Since joining Caravela, their well-being has significantly improved. Farming is now a family effort, but the women remain at the forefront, leading the harvest and post-harvest processes. The men assist with the more physically demanding tasks like cleaning, pest control, and fertilization. Through this shift, they have transformed their farms into thriving, sustainable enterprises.

Coffee Process
Location
Varieties
Technical information

Coffee Process

We are currently working with natural, washed, and honey-processed coffees.

For the naturals, we begin with selective harvesting, ensuring only ripe cherries are picked. The cherries then go through a floating process to clean them and remove any that are damaged by insects or adverse weather conditions. Following this, they undergo a 32-hour cherry fermentation before being dried, which can take up to 27 days.

For the washed coffees, we follow the same selective harvesting and floating process. The cherries are then fermented in cherry for 32 hours, depulped, and go through another floating process to eliminate any remaining impurities. Afterward, they undergo a second 32-hour anaerobic fermentation and a drying period of 12 days.

For the honey-processed coffees, the selective harvesting of ripe cherries remains consistent across all processes. In this case, the cherries undergo a 32-hour fermentation in cherry, followed by floating and immediate drying, which lasts around 19 days.

Location

Country
Ecuador
Department
Loja
Municipality
Cantón Puyango
Elevation
900-1,300 msnm

Varieties

Varieties
Acawua, Sachimor, Caturra

Technical information

Processing
Anaerobic (Honeys-Washed-Naturals)
Average farm size
1,5 ha
Harvest
May - end of September
Drying method
Marquesinas y Paseras
Shade
Guabo, Porotillo, Guararo and Plantain

Get to know the producers!

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Coffee Process

We are currently working with natural, washed, and honey-processed coffees.