Colombia Carolina Samboni Pink Bourbon

Carolina is exactly the type of producer Semilla and Monkaaba set out to work with, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about the past steps in our now fifth year of partnership with her. At the young age of 21, she followed in her parents footsteps as a coffee producer from whom she inherited her 1.5 hectare lot about 6 years ago.

While we often hear stories of young coffee producers abandoning the farm for the city, Carolina has returned to the side of her parents after studying early childhood education in university, dedicated to the pursuit of coffee growing and invested in the belief that - despite the challenges ahead of her - it can be a positive way for her to earn a living. Indeed, despite this narrative of the cities being more profitable for young people, Carolina is very aware that to do so can mean a life of constantly moving, hunting for work wherever it can be found. Her comments here are a good place to reflect on the narratives we often hear in the Global North, those that seek to wide generalisations over coffee production and coffee producers, rather than understanding the specifics of each situation.

There are young people who see coffee as a viable means of living, and for us as buyers, it is that much more important that we do our best to create a market for them that does justice to their efforts and sacrifice. As Carolina explained to Esnaider after the sale of her first lot to us in 2021, she loves coffee as it is a tradition that comes from her grandparents and parents, but also because it gives her an opportunity to show her work to others, far from the mountains of San Agustin. But beyond that, she sees coffee
as a means to find autonomy over her time and her occupation — it offers an opportunity to define the boundaries of her professional life, while feeling good about
what she does.

It’s clear Carolina is an introspective young woman whose contributions will not be solely in the form of coffee, but Semilla is more than happy to be the first buyer of her coffee as a microlot to be sold under her name. As all of her production to date has gone to large multinational buyers in the region, 2022 marked her first direct sale and one she has said she is very proud of. Having her coffee entering the UK market is something very exciting for us and again underlines the way we hope producers to go to finally get the deserved recognition for their work.

Colombia’s reputation as a specialty coffee-producing powerhouse is well known and well deserved. Overall the world’s third largest coffee exporting country, Colombia tops the charts when it comes to arabica, with over 11 million bags produced every year.

First cultivated in the country in the 18th century, coffee production began in earnest in 1808 and has played an important part in the country’s economy ever since. Most coffee in Colombia is grown by small farmers—60 percent of producers cultivate less than one hectare of coffee, while less than one percent have more than 20 hectares.

Colombia's mountainous terrain and diverse microclimates makes it an ideal place for coffee to thrive, and also allows for distinct variations in taste profile depending on the region, farm, and sometimes even plots of specific farms.

More than half a million families grow coffee in the country, most on farms of two hectares or less. The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC), created in 1927, oversees the industry on a national level, with cooperatives and smaller farmer's unions operating regionally.

The FNC was created to defend the interests of its owners, the small-scale farmers who produce the bulk of the country's coffee, as well as to promote the production and exportation of Colombian coffee more generally.

Castillo, named for the researcher Jamie Castillo who helped develop the variety in 2005, is resistant to leaf rust and has quickly become the most planted coffee in Colombia. Coffee leaf rust (la roya in Spanish) has impacted coffee growing in Colombia, among many other countries, and remains a looming threat as the planet heats.

Did you know?

• The FNC is well known for its classic Juan Valdez marketing campaign, wherein an actor portraying a coffee farmer (alongside his mule, Conchita) extols the virtues of Colombian coffee. It has spawned many offshoots and parodies, as well as an international chain of cafes.
• The Coffee Triangle, comprising four departments including Risaralda, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
• Parque del Café (Coffee Park) is a theme park devoted to coffee located in the department of Quindío. Owned by the FNC, it features a museum and exhibitions as well as an amusement park and animatronic show.

Our speciality coffees are 100% traceable and ethically sourced. We work direct with farmers, or through trusted partners, to bring you the best coffee from around the world.

Sourced in partnership with: Semilla
Importer relationship length: Since 2026