The Allied Farmers Project
Like all small, medium and large producers in Colombia, Pergamino spent many years helplessly riding the roller coaster of international coffee prices. We had to invest in our crops without knowing what they would sell for during their 12-year production cycle. As the saying goes in Colombia, there were years of lean cows and years of fat cows — the former being more common than the latter. We sold our coffee to a large exporter, never knowing its unique sensory qualities, whose hands it ended up in, or at what price. We had no way to add value to our coffees, or receive a fair price for higher quality.
Everything changed when we started selling our coffee directly to roasters and importers around the world, gaining access to a fair and sustainable trade chain that recognized quality. Stepping off the roller coaster opened up the opportunity for us to help thousands of small coffee farmers do the same. Today we work with more than 600 producers of high-quality coffees in different regions of the country. We are committed to transparency in our partnerships with these farmers, ensuring that profit margins are clear and value added by quality goes directly to the producer. The premiums we pay for our coffees range from 30% – 300% over market prices, depending on the cupping score and volume of the coffee. We also support our farmers with technical assistance so that they can continue to improve crop quality. Our goal is for farmers and their families to see coffee cultivation as a profitable, decent business, and not just a way to survive.
The average age of the Colombian coffee farmer is 55 years old — if we do not make it profitable and worthwhile for the next generations of growers to stay on their farms, we will lose this great tradition in one or two generations.
Discover some of our signature origins:
Lomaverde
Santa Bárbara, Antioquia
Altitude: 1750 m
Coordinates: 05°55.663”N, 75°35.744”W
Profile:
Sweet and smooth, classic notes of chocolate and caramel, with a subtle citric brightness.
Lomaverde is the name of our main farm and our signature coffee. Located in the mountains of Santa Bárbara, south of Medellín, the farm’s altitude is between 5,400 and 6,400 feet above sea level. The perfect combination of warm days and cold nights provide the ideal climate for the slow but constant development of our coffee beans. This coffee is a great example of the sweet, smooth and bright profiles that best represent Colombian coffee and it is the perfect starting point to discover our different origins and the world of specialty coffee.
Urrao
Urrao, Antioquia
Altitude: 1900 – 2200 m
Profile:
Ripe peach, caramel with a floral finish.
Urrao is easily one of the most amazing towns in Antioquia, tucked away in the middle of the cordilleras that divide our state. Descending from the mountains into the town, the view of the Valle del Penderisco is astonishing. This region has both the people and the agronomical conditions —high altitude, lots of rain and volcanic soil— that are needed to produce some of the most special coffees of Colombia. This coffee comes from 30 great producers. They have made their mark in competitions, reaching several top positions in the prestigious Cup of Excellence, easily the most renowned competition in the coffee world. With them, as with the other producers, we have agreed upon a long term relationship, guaranteeing a high, just, and sustainable price for coffee that meets our quality standards.
Caicedo
Caicedo, Antioquia
Altitude: 1900 – 2200 m
Coordinates: 06°23’42.8”N, 75°58’56.8”W
Profile
Subtle notes of vanilla and sugarcane, complemented by hints of red fruits and red wine.
Inzá
Inzá, Cauca
Altitude: 1950 m
Process
Fermented and washed, sun-dried.
Profile
Blackberry yogurt and flower nectar.
Don Rubén
Vereda El Noque, Caicedo, Antioquia
Altitude: 2100 m
Process
Extended fermentation, washed and sun-dried.
Profile
Ripe plum, mango and sweet tobacco.
Don Rubén is a complete character — funny, happy, hard working and proud of his origins and the quality of his coffee. Although he is originally from Caicedo, he spent his youth “jornaliando”, or working in hundreds of farms spread throughout Antioquia in order to save and eventually buy his own piece of land. He succeeded after 20 years, and bought a small farm far up in the mountains, where many told him that he could not grow coffee because it was too high and cold. Although this indeed affected his productivity, the incredible cup quality he was able to get from his Caturra and Borbón trees more than compensated for it. As a member of our Allied Producer Program, Don Rubén can count on a higher and more stable income, and he can indulge himself in “little pleasures”, as he calls them. One of them was to fix up his house, the other was to fulfill his lifetime dream of traveling by airplane.
Buesaco
Buesaco, Nariño
Altitude: 2050 m
Profile
Black plum, apricot nectar and raw sugarcane.
The small town of Buesaco is nestled in the Juanambú Canyon, a lush Andean valley with a history as dramatic as its breathtaking green cliffs. On a narrow bridge that still stands today, Antonio Nariño and his men fought a critical battle in the struggle for independence — enabling Simón Bolívar’s campaign to forge southward. Almost two centuries later, the region was ravaged by some of the bloodiest clashes between guerrillas and paramilitary groups in Colombian history. Today, however, its incredible speciality coffees are helping to turn the page, and build a brighter future for its people. Thanks to its ideal altitude, dedicated producers, and ancient soils of volcanic ash, Buesaco now produces some of Colombia’s nest coffees — with elegant profiles, subtle fruit notes, and touches of flowers and molasses.
Get our Notas de Café booklet along with your fresh coffee.
