Marcelino Chinguel - Peru

Marcelino Chinguel, a second-generation coffee farmer, along with his wife Grimanes, owns La Lucuma, a 6-hectare farm in La Coipa, San Ignacio, Cajamarca. Situated at an altitude of 1800 to 1900 meters above sea level, the farm boasts organic matter-rich soils and an ideal cool, humid climate.

It is here that Marcelino exclusively cultivates the unique Marshel variety, a discovery made on his own farm in 2017. Initially recognized for its high productivity and resistance to coffee leaf rust, Marshel surprised many with its exceptional cup quality, leading Marcelino to dedicate his entire farm to it. Despite genetic analyses linking it to Costa Rica 95, the variety exhibits distinct physical characteristics and consistently yields superior flavors, suggesting a unique adaptation to Peruvian soils.

Since 2021, Marcelino and his family have specialized in natural processing, meticulously picking, washing, and floating ripe cherries before slow-drying them on raised beds for 30 to 40 days. This careful approach, combined with the Marshel's inherent qualities, has consistently earned them top honors in the Cup of Excellence competition.