ECUADOR THE LOJA NATY

The Loja Naty is a collaborative Natural lot brought to you by three producers from Ecuador’s Loja province: Inés Jiménez, Luis Jima Pardo, and Fernando Auquilla Vega. Their farms sit at a range of elevations between 1700 and 1800 MASL across the regions of Quilanga and Cariamanga. Here they grow a mix of typica, san salvador, catimor, and catuaí varieties.

Inés Jiménez is a 75-year-old widow who has dedicated over 45 years to coffee cultivation. Previously focused on washed coffees, Inés transitioned to natural processing in 2025 due to limited labor and the ideal dry conditions of her region. She lives and works alone, tending her farm with dedication and care.

Luis Jima Pardo, 45, and Fernando Auquilla Vega, 65, come from Cariamanga, a zone equally suited for high-quality naturals. Both traditionally produced “bola” coffee lots sold to local buyers (these are low-grade naturals with poor processing destined only for the local market). In 2024, they decided to shift toward quality, selecting only ripe cherries and refining their post-harvest methods to include careful drying practices.

Each producer processes their coffee individually, but in a similar fashion: Only fully ripe cherries are harvested, fermented for 48 hours, and sun-dried in marquesinas for 25 to 30 days, depending on the weather.

The Ecuadorian naturals we've seen this season have had a beautiful balance of tropical sweetness and florality. This collaborative lot has notes of mandarin orange and white peach up front, with a delicate floral finish.