Sourcing Details:
Want to support women in coffee? Florescencia is a group of 40 women producers in Huila organized through the Association of Ecoterra, who are working together to find an international market for their coffee. What is the Association of Ecoterra you might ask?
- Membership and Production: The association consists of roughly 100 to 145 smallholder families. They are known for producing organic-certified coffee at high altitudes (up to 2,200 meters above sea level).
- Focus on Sustainability: The group focuses on organic production to improve income and living conditions for its members. They are also known as “La Jacoba” and work to expand the supply of high-quality organic coffee.
- Specialty Coffee Profile: The association produces coffee varieties such as Caturra, Colombia, and Castillo, often marketed in the specialty coffee industry.
- Purpose: The main objective of the association is to intensify the diversification of coffee production and processing techniques to improve quality and sustainability.
Organizing as a group was a critical first step because these women are individually cultivating coffee on small farms of just a few acres. The women have leaders from each community to establish a larger network of support. The model of collaboration produces traceable community blends with vibrant regional profile.
Processing Details:
This particular lot was produced by 40 women producers who cultivate coffee in the municipalities of Pitalito, San Agustin, Oporapa, and Saladoblanco. During the harvest, each producer follows a strict protocol which includes picking cherries at optimum ripeness, hand sorting, floating to remove damaged and undeveloped beans, depulping and fermenting for prolonged periods of up to 70 hours. After fermentation, the parchment covered seed is washed and placed on patios or raised beds to slowly dry to 11%.
Exporting Details:
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.
