As part of PRF Colombia, several prominent Colombian coffee producers will host roasters on farms as part of our Origin Trip Experience. While staying with PRF Host Sponsors, guests will have the opportunity to participate in cupping sessions, roundtable discussions, and other activities related to coffee production.

We’re proud to share that so far, Forest Coffee and Café Granja La Esperanza will be hosting guests, as well as Fundación Bancolombia, which will be represented by Campesino Specialty Coffee and Urbania.

What is the Origin Trip Experience?

The overarching goal of PRF Colombia is to drive Colombian coffee sales. What better way to do that than by connecting roasters with Colombian producers at origin?

As with previous years, the PRF Origin Trip Experience takes place over three days and includes the following highlights for roasters:

• Staying with hosts on various coffee farms in different coffee-growing regions.
• Visiting wet and dry mills.
• Taking part in a series of activities on the farms, including harvesting and processing.
• Cupping sessions and roundtable discussions with producers.

Although several Host Sponsors have already confirmed their participation, this does not mean that applications to host roasters at the OTE are closed – we are still open to the possibility of welcoming more Host Sponsors this year.

Roasters who sign up for the OTE will experience the stunning Colombian producing regions, where they will get to see first-hand how some of the world’s best coffee is produced.

Let’s take a look at some of the Host Sponsors who have already confirmed their participation.

Fundación Bancolombia and its partners

Fundación Bancolombia, through its En-Campo programme, supports agricultural businesses and organisations that contribute to the wellbeing and productivity of rural Colombian communities – many of whom grow coffee.

It does this mainly by leveraging the support of its partners to finance these rural businesses, as well as through training, consultation, and mentorship.

Two of these companies will host roasters during this year’s OTE on behalf of the Fundación: Campesino Specialty Coffee and Urbania Café.

Campesino Specialty Coffee

Based in southwest Antioquia and Medellín, Campesino Specialty Coffee works with more than 120 local producers. The company purchases fresh parchment coffee on a weekly basis and runs several community coffee projects.

Campesino exports natural and honey processed single origins as well as high-quality blends and some other coffees. It also runs a coffee school at its warehouse, aimed at improving coffee education for producers and their families.

Daniel Velasquez from Campesino says that the best way for roasters to benefit from visiting Colombia is by “forming meaningful relationships with producers that will truly benefit them”.

He says: “This starts with understanding the processes and logistics, beginning at farm level. This is everything from quality control and warehousing to milling and exporting.”

Urbania

Urbania is a coffee exporter and roaster that sources beans from all over Colombia. Its offerings include washed coffees and naturals, and the company boasts an impressive track record of giving back to coffee growing communities.

Since its founding, Urbania claims it has paid producers a total of more than COP $236,000,000 above the market price, benefiting more than 860 people in total. Some of its partners also include farmers who are victims of conflict.

It also places a huge emphasis on conservation, supporting projects which protect Colombian wildlife, including jaguars, pumas, and even spectacled bears.

Forest Coffee

Since 2018, Forest Coffee has been connecting Colombian farmers with roasters through several specialty coffee projects. 

Known as an industry innovator, the company specialises in experimental coffee processing. Recently, it developed the groundbreaking koji supernatural processing method, using spores from the Aspergillus oryzae (koji) fungus during fermentation to improve coffee quality.

Forest Coffee operates a number of coffee farms, each of which are located at a different altitude and produce a range of coffee varieties.

“We believe that Colombia is one of the most important coffee producing countries in the world thanks to its topographical and geographical diversity and the variety of climates,” Forest Coffee told PRF earlier this year. 

“This means there’s a great opportunity for roasters who want to know about everything, from the way coffee is planted to how it is processed, and how all this affects roasting.”

Café Granja La Esperanza

CGLE is a producer of high-quality specialty coffee grown at high altitudes. It has been doing so for more than 75 years, and now operates five farms across the Colombian countryside.

The company specialises in developing hybrid varieties that are more resistant to pests, diseases, and climate change, while still producing great-tasting, high-scoring coffee. A notable example was their recent Geisha-Caturra hybrid, which was resilient and high-yield while also boasting an amazing cup profile.

CGLE coffees have consistently performed well on the global stage, too. For example, in 2020, Andrea Allen won first place at the USA Barista Championship using a CGLE-produced Geisha XO/Cerro Azul.

We’re delighted to be working with our Host Sponsors for PRF Colombia to bring roaster guests closer to people who are innovating and driving impact across the country’s coffee sector. 

To find out more about becoming a Host Sponsor or attending the Origin Trip Experience, subscribe to the PRF newsletter or get in touch with a member of our team today.

For roasters interested in staying with our amazing Host Sponsors, buy a ticket to the Origin Trip experience here.