The Truth: Ecuador Juan Peña

The Truth: Ecuador, Juan Peña Natural – Mandarin, Dragonfruit, Cherry Cola - $39.97/lb

$25.76 / 8oz (MSRP - $42.37)
$87.93 / Kilo
$199.83 / 5lb
Loja, Ecuador

Connect
Juan Peña founded Hacienda La Papaya in 2009 with a simple but ambitious vision: pursue better coffee through relentless curiosity. More than a farm, Hacienda La Papaya is a living research center where agronomists, baristas, and producers collaborate to push quality forward through innovation, data, and precision at every step. That commitment has earned Juan three consecutive Sprudge Notable Producer awards and helped establish the farm as a global benchmark for competition-level coffee, with coffees featured in the 2025 U.S. Barista Champion routine. Excellence at Hacienda La Papaya goes beyond the cup: the farm provides formal employment for the local community, with 80% of the workforce made up of women and seasonal opportunities for local students during harvest. This coffee is part of our program The Truth—our deepest expression of craft. These are rare, competition-level coffees that connect us more closely to the people, research, and intention behind every cup. Think of it like the bartender's secret bottle behind the bar: not for every occasion, but unforgettable when it's time for something extraordinary.

Experience
Juan Peña's coffee is vibrant, layered, and unforgettable. It opens with juicy sweetness and delicate florals, finishing with the bright citrus of mandarin. As it cools, dragon fruit, cherry cola, and a syrupy sweetness emerge, creating a cup that feels both refreshing and deeply expressive. Juan's coffee is for anyone chasing an extraordinary experience.

Origin // Ecuador
Region // Loja
Producer // Juan Peña
Variety // Typica Mejorada
Elevation // 2100 M.A.S.L
Process // Natural
Flavor Notes // Mandarin, Dragonfruit, Cherry Cola

Deep Dive
The Truth program is our deepest expression of coffee. Every release is produced in limited quantities, and is selected for its transparency, intention, and exceptional quality. These are the coffees you'll often find on the competition stage—and now, in your cup.

Region: Loja
Hacienda La papaya is in the Andean-coastal region of Ecuador, and has a dry tropical climate. It is the size of 28 football fields combined and exclusively grows exotic varieties. The cooler temperatures allows a slower cherry maturation to build deeper sweetness and complexity, while reliable natural water sources and consistent weather give Juan the stability needed to produce remarkable coffees year after year.

Process: Natural
Every step of Juan's natural process is intentional. Cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness, gently rinsed to remove debris, and moved directly into climate-controlled drying rooms where temperature, humidity, airflow, and shade are carefully managed. Over the next 20–30 days, the cherries are turned several times a day, allowing the fruit to slowly infuse the seed with vibrant sweetness and aromatics. After drying, the coffee is milled, hand sorted, and prepared for roasting, resulting in a cup that's clean, intensely expressive, and remarkably sweet.