Our founder, Zara Preciado-Carrillo, was born in Lima, Peru and inherieted a passion for coffee from her mother's side: Afro-Peruvian.

She is a trained and skilled barista who worked for Blue Bottle Co. during college time in the busy nd never ending line at the Ferry Building and Financial District locations in San Francisco for around 3 years. She have a thorough understanding of different coffee beans around the world including their origins, roasting levels, and flavor profiles.

Year later she crossed the pound to go to grad school in Europe, then she returned to home in Peru, and the pandemic hit and she got stuck there for 10 months. It was during that time when she crossed path with Carmen Carrasco a forestry Engineer, entrepreneur and the chair of a Women Coffee Farmers cooperative constituted by 41 women from the rural area of Jaen, Cajamarca in the Andes of Peru which has been historically one of the best coffee areas of Peru.

She felt that Peruvian society made her feel a sense of shame of her beautiful roots: African descendent Peruvian and Native South American that she always feel proud, but it was a disconection for her because she did not grow up with her father, then Zara embarked on a journey of reclaiming her heritage-Native South American which led her to the ancestral land of her father in Cajamarca where she had the opportunity to meet with women coffee farmers in the rural area of Northern Peru. Kaphiy Roasters project was born with a perfect vision and passion for coffee to pay tribute and homage to all the hard working women on her life including with her Mom and dearest aunties.