From Sacred Beans toWorld Heritage

Coffee's journey to Colombia began with a humble goat herder named Pastor Kaldi in the highlands of Ethiopia, who noticed his goats becoming energetic after eating certain red berries. This discovery would eventually travel across continents and centuries.

According to historical documentation from Café de Colombia and referenced in Wikimedia Commons documentation, coffee was possibly brought to Latin America by the Dutch through Suriname, then the French took it to Colombia in the 18th century. The Jesuit priests are credited with introducing coffee seeds to Colombian territory in 1735, planting them at the community seminary in the city of Popayán.

The first commercial export didn't happen until 1835, when 2,500 pounds of Colombian coffee made its way to the United States. By 1860, coffee had emerged as Colombia's dominant export crop, and tariffs on coffee exports became the main source of government revenues.

Colombian coffee farmers, known as caficultores, are the true guardians of this centuries-old tradition. Most farms are small family operations, averaging just 2 hectares, where knowledge and passion are passed down through generations.

These farmers have developed unique techniques adapted to Colombia's challenging geography, creating an unparalleled cultural identity deeply rooted in coffee production. Their collective effort across several generations has generated innovative management practices of natural resources in extraordinarily challenging geographical conditions.

From the mountains to the cities, Colombian coffee growers embody the essence of their coffee culture, guided by principles of democracy and solidarity. They are pillars of peace in Colombia, transmitting their culture from generation to generation and inspiring young people to continue the coffee tradition.

In 1958, when only 4% of US consumers knew Colombia produced coffee, the National Federation of Coffee Growers created Juan Valdez - a fictional character who would become one of the most recognizable advertising icons in the world.

Juan Valdez, portrayed by three different actors over the decades, represents the humble yet strong Andean farmer, always accompanied by his loyal mule Conchita. This character helped transform Colombia into the first coffee-producing country to adopt an active strategy of differentiating and marketing its product.

The campaign was so successful that by 2005, Juan Valdez was considered the advertising image with the greatest recall among US inhabitants, helping establish Colombian coffee as a premium, high-quality product known worldwide.