Procecam - Lonya Grande Community Lot

About Lonya Grande

Lonya Grande is one of Amazonas’ most quietly consistent coffee origins — steep, forested slopes, high elevations, and small family-owned farms typically under 2 hectares. The region produces clean, bright coffees known for their structure, body, and layered fruit sweetness, especially when multiple varieties are blended intentionally.

Procecam’s members farm on remote plots connected by footpaths and mountain roads. Their long-term emphasis on training, processing standards, and shared agronomic knowledge has made Lonya Grande a region that overperforms relative to its size.

Marcos Herrera & Procecam

Procecam was founded in 2014 by a group of producers wanting to “hacer algo diferente” — to raise quality, organise collectively, and access better markets. The association is now made up of 50 active producers, farming ~150 hectares and producing 1,000+ quintales (46kg) of parchment annually.

Leadership team

Nilson Silva, President
Winkler Tapia, Administration
Marcos Herrera, Quality Control
Edson Montenegro, Technical Field Support

Achievements 

1. Trained local producers in agronomy and post-harvest processing

    

2. Secured new seeds and farm equipment through projects

    

3. Placed members in national competitions (including multiple finalists)

    

4. Sold differentiated lots to Europe and the USA for 6+ years

    

5. Shifted toward specialty microlots and nanolots where producers connect directly with buyers.

   
   How was the coffee processed?
   

   
   Each producer processes their coffee on their own farm following a shared protocol developed and monitored by Procecam’s technical team. This decentralised-but-guided system allows producers to work within their micro-environments while maintaining a consistent standard across the entire community lot.
   
   

   Step-by-Step Process

   
   

   1. Harvesting
   
   Cherries are selectively hand-picked at peak ripeness by each producer, ensuring only uniform, high-quality fruit enters the fermentation stage.
   
   

   2. First Fermentation (In Cherry)
   
   The harvested cherries are placed inside Ecotac bags, which are then held within polypropylene sacks and sealed without valves. Fermentation time adapts to climate conditions:
   
   

   - 48 hours in warmer weather

   - 60 hours in cooler conditions
   

   
   This controlled, oxygen-limited environment allows sugars to break down gradually, influencing sweetness and texture in the final cup.
   
   

   3. Depulping & Second Fermentation
   
   After the initial cherry fermentation, the coffee is depulped on-farm. The mucilage-coated parchment is returned to Ecotac bags for an extended secondary fermentation of between 24-36 hours, helping to complete the breakdown of sugars before washing.
   
   

   4. Washing
   
   Producers wash the parchment thoroughly with clean water to fully remove the remaining mucilage, ensuring a clean, stable drying phase.
   
   

   5. Drying
   
   The coffee is then dried between 15–20 days, depending on local weather, at temperatures ranging from 20–30°C. The parchment is carefully dried to 11% moisture, supporting longevity and flavour stability.
   
   

   6. Resting / Stabilisation
   
   Once dried, the coffee is stored again in Ecotac bags inside dark polypropylene sacks where it rests for 15+ days. This stabilisation period allows moisture to equalise and flavours to integrate before the final quality assessment.
   
   

   How does Khipu Coffee know the producers?
   

   
   

   Our relationship with Lonya Grande began through Marcos Herrera, producer at Finca Mamaruntu and one of our most trusted partners. After multiple years sourcing his microlots — always clean, expressive, and consistent — Marcos introduced us to the wider Procecam network.

   
   

   We visit the region annually, cup with the members, review processing protocols, and walk through farms during the harvest. The trust comes from years of collaboration, shared goals around quality, and transparent work both in the field and at the cupping table.
   

   
   

   This community lot came about because we requested a high-quality, fully traceable lot with volume beyond the typical 2–3 bag microlot from individual farms — and Marcos coordinated the sourcing, QC, and selection across multiple producers.

   
   
   

   Who are the producers contributing to this Community Lot?

   
   This Lonya Grande community lot includes contributions from several core producers within Procecam. Among them:
   

   
   

   1. Mauri Ylatoma Meléndez

   
   

   A lifelong friend of Marcos, Mauri has been involved in coffee since childhood. His deep familiarity with the land and long-term commitment to specialty coffee make him a key contributor to the lot’s consistency and quality.

   
   

   2. Indergley Díaz Delgado

   
   Known to Marcos since the formation of Procecam in 2014, Indergley has been part of the association from its earliest days. His dedication to improved processing and his steady involvement in Procecam’s development reflect the spirit of collaboration behind this community lot.

   
   

   3. Juan Herrera Bustamante

   
   

   Marcos’s older brother, described as a second father to the family. Juan brings both experience and emotional significance to the project, and his passion for specialty coffee has strongly influenced the quality ethos within Procecam.

   
   

   Our thoughts on developing with Procecam

   
   

   For us, these lots represent a partnership built on trust, transparency, and a shared ambition to elevate the region. They create opportunities for producers who may not have the volume to offer individual microlots, while still rewarding them for quality. Working with dedicated members like Mauri, Indergley, and Juan reinforces our belief that Procecam is an exceptional long-term partner and one capable of developing community coffees that are both meaningful and consistently delicious.