Elsa méndez, founder
“Every origin has a story. This is ours.”
My story begins in La Cruz, Ecuador, where I spent my childhood surrounded by coffee fields and the mountains of my homeland. From my father, Zabulón Méndez, and my grandfather, Francisco Peña, I learned the value of hard work, the importance of family, and the respect for every coffee bean grown from the land.
At just 17, I left my hometown in search of new opportunities. Life eventually brought me to Spain, where I built a new chapter of my life, but my connection to Ecuador and its coffee never faded.
Today, those childhood memories and my family’s legacy remain at the heart of my journey. Through ACEP, I want to share the richness of Ecuadorian coffee with the world, honouring the land where it begins and the people whose dedication makes every harvest possible.
«In February 2024, discovering the world of specialty coffee sparked a new vision, to reconnect with my Ecuadorian roots and share the story of my homeland through coffee»
Today, my coffee journey continues in Palanda, near my hometown, where the land, the climate, and the dedication of the people who work it come together to produce exceptional coffee. Behind every harvest lies a story of hard work, patience, and commitment, shaped by the hands of the farmers and the entire team who make each step possible.
At ACEP, we believe that great coffee is never the work of one person alone. It is the result of shared knowledge, collaboration, and the dedication of everyone involved, from the care given to the coffee plants to the attention paid to every detail along the way. Every bean represents not only the richness of Ecuadorian soil, but also the effort, experience, and passion of the people behind it.
Our mission is to bring Ecuadorian specialty coffee to the world while honouring its origins and the people who make it possible. Because behind every cup, there is much more than coffee: there is a community, a shared purpose, and a story worth telling.
From Ecuador to the world, every bean carries the dedication of the people, the richness of the land, and the story of where it all begins.