Merci Fernandez, filter

Merci Judit Fernández is a passionate young coffee producer whose interest in coffee began by watching her family manage their plantations. Her parents passed down both valuable knowledge and a deep appreciation for coffee farming, inspiring her to continue this family tradition. For Merci, coffee represents far more than a product. It is a legacy that has provided her family with a stable income and access to education for their children. While earning her degree in agricultural and livestock production, she continued working on the family farm, combining academic learning with hands-on experience.

This daily immersion in the plantations allowed her to develop practical skills and a deep understanding of the craft, expanding her knowledge far beyond the classroom and laying the foundation for a lasting and passionate career in specialty coffee.

Colasay, in the Cajamarca region of northern Peru, benefits from varied topography that creates a diverse climate. Temperatures generally range from 15°C to 25°C, cooler in the highlands and warmer in the valleys. The rainy season, from December to April, brings storms and cooler weather, while the dry season, from May to November, is milder and less rainy, offering ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

Bourbon, a historic variety originating from Ethiopia, was introduced to Yemen in the 17th century and later to Île Bourbon (now Réunion) in the early 1700s. Well suited to high elevations (1,000 to 2,000 meters) and nitrogen-rich volcanic soils, it produces small, dense cherries that mature quickly. Although it is susceptible to disease and relatively low yielding, it is highly valued for its exceptional and consistent cup quality, prized by both roasters and coffee enthusiasts.

The washed process is a coffee processing method in which cherries are first depulped to remove the outer pulp, then fermented in water to eliminate the remaining mucilage. After fermentation, the beans are carefully washed before being dried in the sun on patios or raised beds. This process highlights the coffee’s clarity, acidity, and aromatic finesse, producing clean, fruity, and delicate cup profiles often sought after in specialty coffee.