Kolumbien Excelso

Fairly Traded Coffee from Colombia

Today, Tayronaca operates as an association that distributes coffee from Colombia around the world. Originally established in 2005 as a foundation with 275 farming families from the regions of Magdalena and Cesar, its rapid growth led to a change in legal structure to an association in 2017. Tayronaca maintains partnerships with many communities in the Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta as it continues to grow. All growing areas are located in northern Colombia, which entails significant responsibility for farmers due to the region’s extensive geographic, ecological, cultural, and historical importance.

Tayronaca’s philosophy goes beyond mere productivity: it focuses not only on coffee cultivation but also on socioeconomic development and preserving cultural identity. The association’s main goals are to ensure fair compensation for farmers and their families, improve infrastructure, and support social institutions such as hospitals and schools. The cooperative also invests in technologies to improve the processing of its organically grown specialty coffee.

Colombia Excelso Profile

• Country: Colombia
• Region: Bolivár, Magdalena, Cesar, Guarija
• Growing altitude: 1,000–1,500 m
• Growing method: certified organic
• Harvest season: November–February
• Harvest method: selective hand-picking
• Processing: washed
• Trade: fair trade
• Varieties: Castillo, Colombia, Caturra, Tipica

Growing Areas in Northern Colombia

Across more than 8,200 hectares in the regions of Bolivár, Magdalena, Cesar, and Guarija, members of the Tayronaca coffee association produce organically grown green coffee. The farmers in these growing areas in northern Colombia produce an average of more than 70 tons of coffee beans annually (2018).

Because of their proximity to the coast, coffee plants grow at elevations between 1,000 and 1,500 meters in a unique microclimate. Temperatures range from 23 to 26 degrees Celsius, with average annual rainfall of 1,000 mm. To protect the plants and the environment, there is just one harvest each year, between November and February. Ripe coffee cherries growing in the shade are hand-picked. After harvesting, the green coffee is wet-processed and then dried in the sun. Finally, the Colombian coffee is sorted by bean size and defective beans are removed before the green coffee is exported.