Harry Solís is convinced that coffee has changed the lives of families in the Monzón Valley in Huánuco. He says this with pride as he shows us his large coffee shop, located in the Plaza de Armas. More than 15 years ago this part of the country was plagued by terrorism and drug trafficking. The coca leaf was harvested (it represented 95% of its agricultural activity), and gave an apparent wealth to the producers. But those who lived through that era remember that the apparent bonanza was stained with blood, armed attacks, terror, and death.
Aromas de Monzón is the specialty coffee shop Harry founded in 2018. He was called crazy by his friends. They told him that coffee was not a business. Persevering, the young man bet everything on coffee. A spacious premises that formerly belonged to the Empresa Nacional Comercializadora de Hoja de Coca (Enaco) is the space occupied by the specialty coffee shop that offers Monsoon coffees of varieties such as Geisha and Caturra. With the support of Alianza CAFE, which is a USAID initiative, executed by TechnoServe and has the support of JDE; the enterprise has managed to position itself and local consumption is growing. Harry says this with a smile.
The coffee shop is full of murals painted by university students from Huánuco. Among butterflies, the face of an enigmatic woman on the ceiling, inspiring phrases such as "Everyone believes in something, I think I'll have a cup of coffee" or "life is what begins after coffee" we arrive at the bar where they also offer coffee liquors such as Carajillo, the traditional Irish Coffee, the Coffee Sour, the Espresso Martini or the Chilcano de Café. The place is comfortable and the aroma of the coffee is enveloping, since the beans are roasted there daily.
The client can opt for an Espresso, an American classic, or a coffee in V60, French Press, Moka, and other methods. Producer Primitivo Nolasco's Geisha coffee dazzles us. "We offer the best of Monsoon," Harry highlights. At one end of the coffee shop, we can see the business canvas, a CAFE Alliance initiative that helps entrepreneurs to have value propositions, improve customer relations, and segment the market.
"Coffee has given a radical change to our lives, our people have learned to drink coffee, and that is gratifying," he says. The pandemic didn't set him back. They closed for a month and then opened with all the safety protocols. This time led families to buy ground coffee in bags.
Harry has his brand of coffee and has for sale presentations of 100 grams that cost 3 soles. With proposals for different audiences, the business is maintained with the recognition of the community and the tourists (now few) that come to the area. Aromas del Monzon is already the most emblematic specialty coffee shop in this coffee-growing district. Harry's efforts have paid off, and together with his wife Milagros Baylón they continue to improve to offer excellent service.
A MENU WITH THE AROMA OF MONZÓN
The menu has generous dishes such as the Amazonian salchipapa, the wings in passion fruit sauce, or the Amazonian chaufa. The heat leads you to order a coldbrew with orange, pineapple, or passion fruit. The frappés, in great demand by the young public, are a must, as well as the hot chocolate and cappuccino.
Harry's dream is for Monzon's coffee to become known in Peru and the world. The aroma of coffee arrives at my table: a cup for a V60, with medium body and acidity. It is almost eight o'clock at night, the tables are occupied (the protocol distance is respected) and Harry confirms that his longing to be a pilot was a mistake. Coffee is his thing.
#coffee #monzón #coffee #coffeeshop #espresso #USAID #peru #huánuco #coldbrew
Editor: Esther Vargas
Publication date: July 16, 2021
Source: La Ruta del Café Peruano
EN 
ES