Description
Arnulfo Quintero: Tradition and Organic Commitment in Every Grain
Arnulfo Quintero, with 55 years of his life dedicated to coffee, is an expert coffee farmer, husband, and father of three daughters. Raised in the coffee traditions, Arnulfo proudly states: "My father instilled in me a love for coffee farming since I was a child." He invites you to taste his coffee with confidence, highlighting its careful production using mixed organic and mineral methods, minimizing the use of chemicals. Arnulfo's farm, rescued from abandonment, is now reborn with the effort to produce high-quality varieties, always with a focus on organic and sustainable practices.
Inzá: Colors, Community, and Specialty Coffee in the Heart of Tierradentro
Inzá, known for its distinctive rural facades, stands out in Colombia with its vibrant colors and geometric patterns. Although many homes retain traditional mud and wood structures, they are characterized by a fluorescent color palette and striking motifs.
The urban core of San Antonio, centered on a single main street, houses most of the homes and the school, an essential pillar of the community. A key location is the Pillimué family home, which, with its coffee warehouse and reception room for the coffee growers, becomes a vital community hub. María Rosa Pillimué, the family matriarch, welcomes us with a warmth that belies her tenacity and tireless dedication to the community at 55 years of age.
Our collaboration with the producers of Inzá was strengthened by the Pillimué family over a decade ago. Leo, our director of coffee and quality, forged a strong friendship with this community early in his career. When the Pillimué needed a new partner, we were their choice, kicking off our most successful allied producer program. Currently, we collaborate with more than 250 producers in the region, coordinating and conducting quality analysis through a cupping laboratory, established with the support of Pergamino.
Inzá, one of the largest municipalities in Colombia, is located in eastern Cauca, on the border with Huila. Known as Tierradentro, this region is the birthplace of historic indigenous groups and today is a vital agricultural municipality, inhabited primarily by small farmers. Nestled in the Great Colombian Massif, the country's main source of water and the birthplace of important rivers, Inzá offers spectacular views of the Huila snow-capped mountains and unique conditions for growing specialty coffee, thanks to its exceptional climate and soil.
Our Biofactory in Inzá: Innovation and Commitment to Organic Farming
In the heart of Inzá, a project is developing that fills us with excitement and optimism: our first community-based organic fertilizer factory. Inspired by the region's deep-rooted tradition of organic farming, we launched this initiative to support producers who already practice or aspire to practice organic farming, whether fully or partially. We collaborate with 80 fully organic producers and dozens more who, although not certified, benefit from purchasing products from our organic factory.
Thanks to the support of international roasters who purchase coffee from this region through Pergamino, we were able to finance the construction of the plant and the purchase of the initial inputs. The project's sustainability is based on the sale of these products at cost, thus enabling its continued existence. The biofactory produces organic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides, essential for agriculture and difficult for farmers to produce individually. In this way, we leverage economies of scale to promote organic or mixed production practices in the region, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and innovation in agriculture.
