Carolina's Story
For Carolina Peralta, specialty coffee has never been just about the coffee; it is also a platform for change. For the past six years, she has been working tirelessly in the historic, high-altitude city of Cusco, Peru, not only to serve exceptional cups but to change the narrative of who is behind them. As the founder of Florencia & Fortunata Café, Carolina has built much more than a coffee shop—she has created a project fiercely dedicated to promoting and giving visibility to women across every link of the coffee value chain.
Taking the Reins
Her journey into the art of roasting began three years ago with a single, bold conclusion: to have absolute control over her brand’s quality and message, she would need to take the reins and roast the coffee herself. She took the leap and imported her own Bullet R1 V2 to the Peruvian Andes. Ever since, she and her all-female team have meticulously profiled and roasted every single bean served at their bar.
Carolina’s daily work in the lab is a blend of strict quality control and sensory exploration. For her, the drum of the Bullet is a space for discovery. She deeply enjoys iterating and exploring different roast curves to find the absolute best expression of each origin, ensuring that every profile is perfectly tailored to Florencia & Fortunata's exacting specifications.
Raising All Boats
But Carolina’s impact doesn't stop at the doors of her roastery. She is a unifying force in Cusco’s coffee community. Whether she is evaluating cups as a sensory judge in official competitions or organizing local coffee tournaments in her city, her motivation remains the same: to discover emerging talent and drive the professional growth of everyone in the local industry – a tide that raises all boats.
Carolina is a perfect fit with the "Good Machines for Good People" ethos. She uses her machine not only to perfect her craft, but to open doors, build community, and ensure that the future of Peruvian coffee is equitable, brilliant, and led by women.