We just can’t stop saying it: being from Huila makes us incredibly lucky! And the coffee world is starting to notice. Coffee from Huila is sought after by importers and roasters alike for its quality, price, and availability. Beyond what every other coffee growing region has, like good terroir or high altitudes, here are the factors that make Huila the Lucky Region:
The obvious factor: Huila is in Colombia
Colombia has been on the top three coffee producing countries list for a while now, and it is a world-favorite for its reputation of producing mild and well-balanced beans. Coffee, to all Colombians, is a source of pride and identity beyond the tabloids and bad news about this country and its people. When a product is THIS important to a people, rest assured there will be time, dedication, and love spent on it.
The secret factor: a choreography of inverted harvests
Coffee is usually and annual crop, in some countries, including Colombia, it’s a bi-annual occurrence. We have a Main Crop that produces its maximum yield, and a Mitaca Crop that produces a low yield. This is why a relatively small country like Colombia can be the 3rd in worldwide production.
But we are sharing a little secret about Huila today: our crops, in the north and the south, are literally inverted. This means that when our producers in the north like Santa María are harvesting the Main Crop our producers in Acevedo in the south are picking the Mitaca cherries, and vice-versa. In other words, we have a steady supply of cherries all year long balanced by this serendipitous circumstance.
Ok, let’s not attribute it all to luck, Cuatro Vientos has been strategic too, having a collection center in each region give producers easy access to our collection centers.
The human factor: Smallholding and tradition
Libardo Murcia and Miriam Quesada - owners of Finca El Guayacán.
Producers in Huila are almost 100% smallholder families. Most live on small farms or plots with coffee crops that do not exceed 2 hectares. This means there is:
- A diversity of varieties and processes.
- High social and environmental impact.
- Quality over quantity.
In summary:
Huila provides Cuatro Vientos with outstanding amounts of year-round exceptional coffee. As you navigate the nuanced world of green coffee sourcing, envision our Huila beans as more than a commodity – they represent a carefully curated narrative of cultural commitment to green coffee excellence.
Huila, the pulsating heart of Cuatro Vientos Specialty Origins!