Chirimoyos

One of the southernmost provinces of Ecuador is Loja, located in an area known as the Inter-Andean or Sierra region. On the western side, in the canton of Puyango, there is a world-famous natural wonder, the Petrified Forest of Puyango. Covering an area of 2,658 hectares, it is one of the largest petrified forests globally, with sediments divided into four geological formations dating back to the late Cretaceous period. These deposits are rich in fossilized trunks, leaves, and invertebrate fossils. Puyango is one of the few remnants of a dry tropical forest in the southwest of Ecuador. The forest’s largest petrified tree specimen has a diameter of 2 meters and a length of 15 meters. This forest houses one of the largest collections of petrified trunks in such a compact area. The forest is traversed by two streams, Sabalos and Chirimoyos, where most of the fossilized tree trunks are located. Hence, the brand’s name and, as seen in the logo, it features two fossilized tree trunks near the Chirimoyos creek.

In the Puyango area, toward the mountains, coffee is produced using an agroforestry system that prioritizes environmental conservation. Caravela began working with coffee producers in Puyango in 2019, initially partnering with six producers who were previously selling their coffee conventionally. Since then, this collaboration has continued, and by 2023, Caravela is working with 42 producers. In 2023, a permanent purchasing station was opened in Valle Hermoso, located just minutes away from the town of Alamor, to provide better service to producers and facilitate PECA and quality workshops.