Grower
379 smallholder farmers organized around the Cooperativa Multiactiva de Asociaciones Agropecuarias del Tolima (MULTICOOP)
Altitude
1500 – 2200 masl
Variety
Castillo, Caturra, Catimor, Colombia, Geisha, and Tabi
Soil
Clay minerals
Region
Planadas, Rio Blanco, and Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia
Process
Fully washed and dried in the sun
Harvest
October - December
Certification
Organic
Regional details
For many years Tolima has remained hidden in plain sight between other well-known coffee growing regions because armed conflict and coca leaf production isolated small coffee producers and exposed them to high rates of violence. As conflict has subsided in recent years, locally organized associations have taken the lead in creating market access for producer’s coffee.
Sourcing details
This traceable blend with a vibrant regional profile comes from an association called Cooperativa Multiactiva de Asociaciones Agropecuarias del Tolima (Multicoop), which has 379 producers with small farms in the municipalities of Planadas, Rioblanco and Chaparral. Each producer has their own micro-mill where they carefully harvest cherries, depulp, ferment, wash and gently dry the parchment on raised beds. Their impeccable farm management and post-harvest practices culminate into a clean and consistent blend. But there are also just enough differences from farm to farm to create a rich complexity of flavors.
The Exporter
An export company called Mastercol provides crucial logistical support for things like warehousing and milling coffee for export to the international market, which provides better income for everyone to reinvest in their farms and strengthen their families’ livelihoods.