Sustainable Harvest® Blog

As part of our “The People Behind Relationship Coffee” series, we spoke with Dimar Zurita, Relationship Manager in Peru. Dimar works closely with producer groups across the country to strengthen quality, relationships, and efficiency at origin. 

In this conversation, he shares how his journey, which began in a small coffee-growing community in northern Peru, led him to a career dedicated to improving the country’s coffee supply chain, and what continues to inspire him after 13 years with Sustainable Harvest. 

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Sustainable Harvest (SH): Dimar, could you start by telling us a bit about your background in coffee before joining Sustainable Harvest?

Dimar Zurita (DZ): Coffee has always been part of my life. My father was a traditional coffee farmer. In my region, coffee grew as an alternative to illicit crops, but there were already small communities like Chirinos, parts of Jaén, and Cajamarca that produced coffee for generations. 

I was born in Chontalí, a rural community three hours from Jaén. Later, my family moved to San Martín, another region where many coffee farmers were migrating at the time, looking for better opportunities.  

When I finished school, my father worked very hard to make sure I could attend a national university. No one in my family had gone to university before, and I eventually graduated as an agroindustrial engineer. 

After graduation, I interned at a coffee mill owned by an exporter that supported small cooperatives. Back in 2006/2007, Chirinos, for example, was exporting maybe ten containers a year; Unicafé, around five; others in San Martín, just three or four. 

It was all new to me. I worked in quality control, checking lots and processes. That’s actually where I met Donald, who’s now a manager at Unicafe. We were both interns back then!  

Those four or five years were a huge learning experience. 

SH: So how did Sustainable Harvest come into the picture?

DZ:  Many of the coops we worked with at the mill sold coffee to Sustainable Harvest. I had also participated in some of their training programs and became a Q Grader around that time. 

When Sustainable Harvest team opened a position in northern Peru, I decided to apply. I already knew many of the coops and understood the importance of relationships, not just technical standards. Communication and empathy are essential in this work; doing things right, but also understanding people. 

I was selected and joined the company in 2012. Honestly, it felt like the opportunity of a lifetime! My first role focused on monitoring coffee mills, mainly in Chiclayo, at a facility that handled most of the coffee from our partners. That first year, we reduced quality rejections from ten cases per season down to one. And that improvement came not just from inspection, but from communication and awareness, working together and building understanding.  

My farming background helped me connect with producers. I’ve always seen myself as an extension of the cooperatives – we work hand in hand, maintaining open communication, and helping each group find the right pace to grow. 

SH: So it's been 13 years now! How has your role evolved since you started? 

DZ:  Yes, 13 years already! After my first role, I moved into a broader role as part of the supply and quality monitoring team in Lima. 

Back then, our coffee sector was still very young, so a big part of our work was educational, helping coops adopt quality protocols and understand better practices.  

I then took on more responsibilities, supporting the previous Relationship Manager in Peru, who led supply at the time. I helped coordinate everything, from certifications to logistics and quality systems, and over time, I also began managing risk and pricing. That was challenging at first, but little by little, we built trust with coop managers. 

SH: What has kept you motivated through so many changes and challenges over the years? 

DZ: What motivates me most is seeing things flow efficiently and the tangible results our work brings for our partners. For example, when we solve logistical challenges quickly and everything moves smoothly, that gives me a lot of satisfaction. 

Finding solutions as a team keeps me motivated. It’s about staying connected, communicating well, and making sure everyone benefits. 

SH: What do you think makes Sustainable Harvest different from other companies working at origin?

DZ: I think it’s the level of connection and transparency. Coffee is a volatile market: it can be both rewarding and risky. But we always prioritize making operations healthy for both sides. 

We’re deeply involved with producer groups, not just as buyers, but as partners. We make decisions together and support them through every challenge. That closeness creates trust. 

Many cooperatives are growing year after year, and some are even replicating the Sustainable Harvest model, focused on quality, relationships, and transparency. It’s something we’ve built together. 

SH: What challenges do you wish roasters or others in the industry understood better about working at origin? 

DZ: Every harvest is different. Conditions can change from one month to the next. 

Our clients play a huge role by believing in the specialty segment in Peru.  

Even when the market makes things difficult, their continued support of sustainable and relationship-based sourcing brings long-term impact. 

SH: How do you think Peru's coffee sector has evolved over the last five to ten years?

DZ: It’s changed a lot, especially in quality and productivity. 

We’ve learned from other origins, like Honduras, where producers have developed local varieties and shared knowledge on organic fertilization and soil nutrition. 

The groups we work with are now producing higher yields, many over 30% more per hectare, and even 65% for those with regenerative certifications. So, while national averages may seem low, cooperative coffee is on a completely different level now. 

Producers are also more open to innovation and quality improvement. It’s a very positive transformation. 

SH: What can you tell us about collaborations between coops and roasters over the years?

DZ: There’s been a lot of collaboration between roasters and cooperatives, like the bakery project in Chirinos, founded with support from Equator, or the organic fertilizer plant that grew with support from Taylors of Harrogate and other roasters. 

These initiatives go beyond coffee: they create lasting, meaningful impact for the communities. 

SH: One last question, and we know it's a hard one! Do you have a favorite coffee or profile and a favorite way to brew your coffee?  

DZ: (laughs) It is a tough one! As a cupper, I appreciate the uniqueness of every coffee, but if I had to choose, I’d say I’m a fan of washed coffees. They show the true essence of coffee, the natural expression of the plant, without distractions. It’s pure, clean, and honest. 

For brewing, I love Chemex and AeroPress! Chemex is my favorite for its simplicity and clarity in flavor.