Juan Peña is a fifth-generation farmer and agronomist who began growing specialty coffee in 2009 at Hacienda La Papaya, located outside the town of Saraguro in Loja, southern Ecuador, at elevations of 1,800–2,100 masl. The 25-hectare estate, irrigated by the perennial Cascada San Pablo waterfall, cultivates varieties including Geisha, Typica Mejorado, and Typica across 16 productive hectares. Peña holds three Sprudgie Notable Producer awards and has achieved consecutive top-3 finishes in US barista, brewer, and roaster championships since 2016.
