Colombia and coffee share more than 300 years of history. Brought over by Jesuits in the 18th century, the coffee plant has taken firm root in the country ever since. Exports began as early as 1835. Today Colombia is the world's third-largest producer. How is coffee grown in Colombia? And why is it considered one of the best coffees in the world? Let's take a closer look at growing black gold on Colombian soil.
Coffee grown along the Andes
Colombian coffee in numbers:
- 8.8% of the market;
- third-largest producer in the world;
- 750,000 tonnes of coffee a year;
- 500,000 coffee farms.
Coffee is grown in the west of the country, along the Andes: from Antioquia in the north to Nariño in the south. This region, known as the Eje Cafetero or Coffee Triangle, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011 as the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia. Why? Decades of tradition and adaptation to a tough environment, all in the service of coffee. More than a job, it's a unique way of life.
Here, coffee plants find ideal growing conditions:
- An altitude of between 1,200 and 1,800 metres.
- Temperatures of between 17 and 23 degrees.
- A tropical climate and high humidity.
Thanks to these dream conditions and its many microclimates, Colombia is the only country able to harvest coffee all year round! Unlike Brazil's vast farms, Colombian farms are small plots, traditionally handed down from generation to generation.
But growing coffee in the mountains is no walk in the park! Slopes steeper than 25% make life hard for the cafeteros, the coffee growers. Machines can rarely be used, so the cherries have to be picked by hand, one by one. They are then pulped by machine and washed. Allow 12 to 36 hours for fermentation and up to 10 days for drying. The result is what's known as washed coffee, famous for its brighter acidity.
Colombian coffee: its Arabica varieties
Colombian coffee is known for its balance: moderate acidity, body and sweetness. The country grows only Arabica, no Robusta.
Among the most popular varieties, you'll find:
- Bourbon: yellow, red and orange Bourbon are all grown in Colombia. It's prized for its finesse and lightness.
- Caturra: discovered in the town of Caturra in Brazil, this Arabica is also highly regarded in Colombia.
- Geisha: originally from Ethiopia, this variety travelled to Costa Rica and then Panama before settling in Colombia. It's a star of specialty coffee.
The National Coffee Research Centre, Cenicafé, has helped develop new varieties in the lab. The goal? Plants that are more resistant to diseases such as coffee leaf rust, with better cup quality. These include Castillo, Tabi and Colombia.
💡 Did you know? Colombians don't drink coffee, they drink tinto! It's made from pasillas, lower-grade beans that don't make the cut for export. Tinto is drunk very sweet and diluted, in plastic cups. A far cry from the traditional coffee ceremony in Ethiopia!
The Café de Colombia label and the recognition of Colombian beans
Colombian coffee is valued all over the world for its quality. The FNC, the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, was founded in 1927 to promote Colombian coffee. Still active today, the organisation works to gain recognition for producers and a fair price for their work. It also funds research to improve yields on local plantations.
In 1984, the FNC created the “Café de Colombia” label. It features a friendly farmer in a hat, always accompanied by his mule. The character is called Juan Valdez and was created by the American agency Doyle Dane Bernbach. He embodies the values of Colombia's cafeteros: hard work, authenticity and commitment to family and community.
To use the logo on its products, a company must roast at least one brand of excellent-quality, 100% Colombian coffee.
💡 Good to know: in 2007, Colombia became the first non-European country to obtain a protected geographical indication (PGI) for its “Café de Colombia” label. In 2013 it also became the first foreign PGI registered in Switzerland.
Colombian coffee benefits from ideal, if unusual, growing conditions that explain its excellence and unique aromas. Well aware of this huge potential, the country keeps investing to make the character of its coffee and the dedication of its producers known around the world.
