Yolanda Rico, Colombia

Located at 1,950 meters above sea level in Tolima, Colombia, Las Brisas Farm is owned by 39-year-old farmer Yolanda Rico. She has been a member of the Café Agrario farmers’ association for six years and, in recent years, has focused on cultivating high-quality coffee to increase its value. Growing coffee in this region has been challenging due to the civil war, poor management, and non-payment from buyers for delivered coffee. However, significant support from their Colombian export partner, Siruma, has helped. Siruma has invested in the community and organized various training sessions for farmers. Café Agrario also roasts and sells coffee locally.

For this lot, the farmers carefully selected only the ripest coffee cherries and delivered them to the processing station, where they were paid directly. At the station, the cherries were de-pulped and fermented for 24 hours in tile tanks. After fermentation, the coffee was washed three times and dried on African beds for several days.