Under Contract

116 | La Quinta

Under Contract

Producer
Tiberio Correa		Description
Chocolate, honey, molasses, cherry
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo, Caturra
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
 1,900 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Tiberio was raised along with his 12 siblings at his parent’s coffee farm in Ituango, Antioquia. He learned everything about coffee from his father. Now he and his wife are raising their 4 children at their own coffee farm, La Quinta. With 6 hectares planted with coffee, La Quinta has around 25,000 coffee trees of the Colombia, Castillo and Caturra varietals. In addition to coffee, the family produces beans and corn. Some cattle are also raised at the farm. Tiberio is forever grateful for his land. He believes there is no better lifestyle than to be surrounded by fresh air, peace, and nature. On top of that, coffee has given him the resources to educate his kids. Tiberio believes that education is important even if you come back to work at the farm. If you have the knowledge to do things better your quality of life will improve he says.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

64 | La Cartagena

Under Contract

Producer
Jorge Cartagena		Description
Dark chocolate, maple syrup, spices, citrus
Process
Washed, sun-dried		Varietals
Caturra, Colombia
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,950 meters
Position
Under Contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Like many of the farmers we work with, Jorge learned the art of producing coffee from his father. However, after inheriting his father’s small coffee farm, he chose to sell it. With the money from that sale he was able to purchase La Cartagena, a farm that has allowed him to pursue the production of specialty coffee. He now has 4,500 coffee trees planted – a combination of Caturra and Colombia varietals. As he continually works to enhance the quality of his coffee, Jorge already has plans to improve both his water supply and his wet beneficio. Proud of his profession, Jorge is also teaching his children how to grow coffee. He hopes the family tradition will continue for many generations to come.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

69 | El Roble

Under Contract

Producer
Albeiro Ramirez		Description
Bright, floral, jasmine, Honey
Process
Washed		Varietals
Chiroso
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,000 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Already situated 2,000 meters above sea level, El Roble also benefits from the unique microclimate of the Penderisco river valley which is created by ocean winds and the surrounding mountains. This region is also the home of the Chiroso varietal of which Albeiro planted trees in 2015. While, based on tree age, the plantation is young, Albeiro’s experience and commitment make this lot one not to miss.

Although there is certainly room for expansion at El Roble, Albeiro does not plan to plant more trees any time soon. With the lack of workers during the harvesting season and the cost of adapting his drying facilities to accommodate more coffee, he prefers to concentrate on quality over quantity. He will proudly share with you that he has participated in the Cup of Excellence competition for the last two years. However, what would ultimately make Albeiro the proudest, is his grandson taking over El Roble one day.
 
REQUEST A SAMPLE

158 | La Guamera

Under Contract

Producer
Alcides Guzman		Description
Bakers chocolate, brown sugar, honey, dry fruit
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,700 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Alcides has been working with coffee for 14 years, gradually increasing the production of La Gamera from a few trees to the 12,000 trees he currently has planted. He is careful to monitor the age of the trees and prune them every seven years. This management style allowed him to have very good yields as there are always trees producing. In adition to this meticulous tree management, Alcides believes reinvesting in the farm and its facilities is crucial to providing superior coffee. He diligently maintains his wet beneficio and drying facilities so that the cherries can be processed correctly and efficiently.
Despite La Guamera’s location in Ituango – Antioquia (an area fraught with conflict between illegal groups), Alcides and his wife are optimistic for the future. They believe their dedication to coffee will allow them to provide their daughter with more options as she grows older.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

33 | El Mango

Under Contract

Producer
Gilberto Giraldo		Description
Balanced, sugar cane, stone fruit, chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,800 meters
Position
Uder contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Like other farms in the area, Gilberto and El Mango have experienced a couple of challenging years. The extended dry season a year ago diminished the production yield considerably. On top of that, the resurgence of activity among armed illegal groups in the region led to multiple displacements from the farm, including once during the harvest last year.

While these obstacles proved difficult to overcome, Gilberto took them in stride and is still planning for the upcoming years. He has new varietals that will be maturing soon and is excited to experiment with different processing methods (something he had intended to do this year). His unwavering commitment to El Mango is evident and we are equally committed to riding out the ups and downs with him.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

32 | El Rosario

Under Contract

Producer
Cesar Zuleta		Description
Citrus, lime, caramel, candy
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,800 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Cesar grew up at El Rosario learning everything about coffee from his father. When his parents decided to move to the city he stayed behind, taking over the farm. While he has built a life with his wife and three children in Ituango, remaining at the farm has not been an easy choice. The region has suffered from violence at the hands of illegal groups for decades and Cesar’s community is no exception. Over the years, he has lost friends and family members and considers himself lucky to have only been displaced from his farm a few times.

Regardless of the situation, Cesar is working hard to improve every day. He is invested in his coffee and continues planning for the future, planting new coffee varieties this year and improving his beneficios. This level of commitment combined with the fertile soil and microclimate El Rosario has to offer is a recipe for great coffee.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

60 | El Balso

Under Contract

Producer
Walter Vargas		Description
Sweet, honey, caramel, bakers chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Castillo, Tabi
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,100 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Located in Betulia, El Balso originally belonged to Walter’s grandparents. Passed down through generations, it is now home to Walter, his wife, Gloria, their son, and Walter’s mother. As a true family business, everyone helps out with the daily activities and maintenance. 

Of the 5,000 coffee trees planted, 2,000 are currently pruned and not producing coffee for this harvest. The other 3,000 consist  of Castillo Rosario and Tabi varietals which will account for roughly 8 bags of beans. With this smaller scale production, Walter believes he is better able to focus on both carefully selecting cherries and processing them. 

Budgeting for maintenance and upgrades is tough with narrow profit margins, but Walter recently replaced the plastic on one of his two marquesinas (drying bed). He would like to install pipes to transport the picked cherries from the field to the wet mill as well. We are hopeful that our financing opportunities and profit sharing business model will support his endeavors.
 
REQUEST A SAMPLE

65 | La Primavera

Under Contract

Producer
Lizardo Montoya		Description
Floral, brown sugar, molasses, green tea
Process
Washed		Varietals
Chiroso
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,000 meters
Position
Afloat – Under Contract
ETA – May, 2023		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Lizardo lives with his wife Luz Dary at La Primavera. They have been working with coffee for about 11 years and currently have trees of the Chiroso varietal at the farm. Chiroso is a relatively new varietal which is endemic to the region of Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia. A natural mutation of old-growth caturra, the beans are larger and have an oblong shape.

As this varietal gains recognition from importers and roasters, Lizardo is excited about the opportunity to grow relationships that will lead to sustainable prices. With a more predictable income, he would be able to budget for upgrades to the drying facilities at La Primavera. Even at 56 years of age, he is always looking for ways to improve. 
REQUEST A SAMPLE

31 | El Arrayan

Under Contract

Producer
Jhon Valencia		Description
Sweet, honey, apple, milk chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Castillo, Caturra
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,100 meters
Position
Afloat – Under contract
ETA – May, 2023		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
One of Finca El Arrayan’s greatest assets is it’s location – high altitude, volcanic soil, ideal microclimate. Unfortunately, the farm’s greatest weakness is also it’s location – previously a FARC stronghold, Ituango is now caught in the post-conflict crosshairs. While the peace treaty brought an agreement between the government and FARC, it has opened the door for new armed groups to move in, each vying for a slice of the illicit enterprise left behind. People now live with a bag packed, ready to leave on short notice, and there have already been a few displacements in the last two years.

Jhon is no stranger to the turbulence of the area. Like many others, his family fell victim to the decades of violence with two of his brothers being kidnapped, one of them being killed. He persisted then and continues to now. Watching the strength and tenacity of Jhon and other farmers in this region has us more committed than ever, regardless of the challenges.
REQUEST A SAMPLE

30 | El Edén

Under Contract

Producer
Francisco Giraldo		Description
Chocolate, maple syrup, sugar cane, grapes
Process
Washed		Varietals
Castillo, Caturra
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,850 meters
Position
Afloat
ETA – May, 2023		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Our strong relationship with Francisco has helped us work through some particularly challenging times over the past two years. A resurgence of activity among illegal paramilitary groups in the area had a direct impact on the farmers and their families. With multiple displacements during the harvest, Francisco and his wife, Amparo, were forced to leave cherries in the fields, pack their belongings, and move the family to the nearest town in search of safety.

Francisco continues to look towards the future and it does not surprise us that he remains so dedicated in the face of adversity. He has lived through many years of armed conflict and fell victim to a landmine himself in 2009. Lucky to escape with his life, he lost one eye as well as his sense of taste and smell. However, his dedication to his coffee never faltered. He grew up working with coffee alongside his father at El Edén and chose to continue the legacy after his father passed away.
REQUEST A SAMPLE