COFFEE COLOMBIA GAITANIA

The Project: Located in Planadas, Tolima, an area historically scarred by conflict and recognised as the cradle of Colombian coffee, Emmanuel, a dedicated coffee farmer, embarked on a project. In 2016, together with his family, he founded a coffee processing centre with the aim of supporting more than 15 communities, making it easier for local coffee farmers to process coffee beans. Forest Coffee and Emmanuel joined forces in 2019 to create the Black Condor Project, with the mission to support farmers affected by years of armed conflict in Gaitania. This initiative is more than just a coffee project: it is a commitment to empower small producers through education, infrastructure and fair prices. In a region that historically relied on coca production to sustain an unstable and dangerous drug economy, our friends at Forest Coffee saw a unique opportunity: to build on the area's agricultural base, leverage its incredible natural resources and empower the community to forge a new path to the future.

This project provides farmers with access to vital resources such as:

• A central washing station and processing facility, which ensures consistent quality and efficiency.
• Training workshops focusing on fermentation, drying and cupping, so that farmers can hone their craft, taste their coffee and understand the desirable flavours sought by international markets, and thus truly understand the value of their coffee.