Our Offerings - Arango Specialty Coffee

31 | El Arrayan

Producer Jhon Valencia	Description Sweet, honey, apple, milk chocolate
Process Washed	Varietals Castillo, Caturra
Region Antioquia	Elevation 2,100 meters
Position 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.

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11 | Campo Alegre

At Origin

Producer Martin Tapias	Description Sweet, cocoa powder, sugar cane, lime
Process Washed	Varietals Castillo, Colombia
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,800 meters
Position ETA – May, 2023	Warehouse Continental, New Jersey

Martin takes great pride in the management of Campo Alegre. Upon visiting, it is evident that he has invested in a superior wet mill and quality marquesinas for wash processing and drying. Certain that his attention to every detail translates to an incomparable cup of coffee, Martin is just looking for the opportunity to prove it.

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158 | La Gamera

At Origin

Producer Alcides Guzman	Description Bakers chocolate, brown sugar, honey, dry fruit
Process Washed	Varietals Colombia, Castillo
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,700 meters
Position ETA: May, 2023	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.

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116 | La Quinta

At Origin

Producer Tiberio Correa	Description Lemon, cacao nibs, vanilla, honey, spices
Process Washed	Varietals Colombia, Castillo, Caturra
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,900 meters
Position ETA – May, 2023	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.

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64 | La Cartagena

At Origin

Producer Jorge Cartagena	Description Dark chocolate, maple syrup, spices, citrus
Process Washed, sun-dried	Varietals Caturra, Colombia
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,950 meters
Position ETA – April, 2023	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.

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33 | El Mango

At Origin

Producer Gilberto Giraldo	Description Balanced, sugar cane, stone fruit, chocolate
Process Washed	Varietals Colombia, Castillo
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,800 meters
Position ETA – April, 2023	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.

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32 | El Rosario

At Origin

Producer Cesar Zuleta	Description Citrus, lime, caramel, candy
Process Washed	Varietals Colombia, Castillo
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,800 meters
Position ETA – April, 2023	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.

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60 | El Balso

At Origin

Producer Walter Vargas	Description TBA
Process Washed	Varietals Castillo, Tabi
Region Antioquia	Elevation 2,100 meters
Position ETA – April, 2023	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.

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65 | La Primavera

At Origin

Producer Lizardo Montoya	Description TBA
Process Washed	Varietals Chiroso
Region Antioquia	Elevation 2,000 meters
Position ETA – April, 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.

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69 | El Roble

At Origin

Producer Albeiro Ramirez	Description TBA
Process Washed	Varietals Chiroso
Region Antioquia	Elevation 2,000 meters
Position ETA – April, 2023	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.

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