31 | El Arrayan

Producer
Jhon Valencia
Description
Citric, honey, caramel, cocoa powder
Process
Washed
Varietals
Castillo, Caturra
Region
Antioquia
Elevation
2,100 meters
Position
Spot
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.

84 | La Soledad – Chiroso

Producer
Ivan Montoya
Description
Floral, lemongrass, maple syrup, honey
Process
Washed
Varietals
Chiroso
Region
Antioquia
Elevation
2,050 meters
Position
Spot
Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
A native of Urrao, Antioquia, Ivan began his coffee endeavors after inheriting a piece of land from his grandparents called La Soledad. Over the last 14 years, Ivan has developed about 3,000 Chiroso trees and credits the elevation of the farm, over 2,000 meters above sea level, as the secret ingredient to the high quality coffee he produces. In addition, the fertile soil allows for diversification as he also produces avocados and naranjilla.

Ivan is certainly proud of the coffee he produces, but he is even more humbled that it allows him to provide for his aging grandparents. 

41 | La Mina

Producer
Henry Martinez
Description
Floral, lemongrass, molasses, brown sugar
Process
Washed, sun-dried
Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Nariño
Elevation
1,960 meters
Position
ETA August, 2025
Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Ask Henry Martinez to describe the coffee industry and he will tell you, “Coffee is a blessing for all of us” and that he owes everything he has to hard work and coffee. He can recall good years and bad years, but is quick to note that lately the bad years are overwhelming the good ones. Coffee prices have been very low even though the cost of production keeps climbing.

After getting married to his wife Ricardina, Henry bought La Mina from his father. Through hard work and carefully managed expenses, he was able to pay off the farm in two years. While he originally planted caturra varietals, he found out after only 5 years how susceptible that variety is to leaf rust.

Now La Mina is planted with castillo varietals and focused on the production of specialty coffee as Henry sees this as an important opportunity to reduce the volatility in coffee prices. He knows that if we can develop strong relationships with customers over time, he can concentrate on his craft without worrying if he is going to break even at the end of the harvest. 

54 | Bodegas

Producer
Edwin Benitez
Description
Sweet, caramel, stone fruit, chocolate
Process
Washed
Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Nariño
Elevation
1,750 meters
Position
ETA August, 2025
Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Edwin has worked with coffee all his life, originally learning to the trade from his father. After his father passed away, he inherited part of his land and continued growing coffee. Edwin knows first hand the hard work and dedication that coffee demands and believes the low coffee prices do not fairly compensate for them. He sees great opportunity in developing direct trades relationships that recognize the quality of the coffee he is producing.

Edwin lives with his wife Blastenia, his son Jaider, and his daughter Graicy at Bodegas. He wants to continue the legacy that his father left him, and is now teaching his son the best practices for improving quality. He is hopeful that the evolution of the specialty coffee market will provide some stability for the future generations of coffee growers.

153 | Arbol Solo

Producer
Exeomo Andrade
Description
Honey, caramel, chocolate, cherry
Process
Washed
Varietals
Castillo, Variedad Colombia
Region
Nariño
Elevation
1,900 meters
Position
ETA August, 2025
Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Exeomo has 10,000 coffee trees of the Castillo, and Colombia varietals at Arbor Solo. He has a lot of experience with specialty coffee, and has been selected in the past for the best coffees from the region.

With excellent management of his coffee fields, Exeomo has figured out how to keep his production yield consistent, harvest after harvest. He says that the key is renewal of unhealthy trees at the right time. This takes a lot of knowledge and experience, but pays off according to Exeomo.