Colombia Las Hermosas

In the southern part of the department of Tolima, lies the vast Natural Reserve known as Las Hermosas. Spanning from 1,600 meters above sea level (Masl) to 4,500 Masl, this reserve covers an impressive 125,000 hectares. Bordering the reserve is the picturesque Cañon de las Hermosas, adding to the region's charm. With abundant water sources, including lakes atop the natural reserve and rivers such as Amoya and Davis flowing through the canyon, this area is a haven of beauty and biodiversity. It is home to many coffee farmers who produce high-quality coffees, giving rise to the aptly named brand, Las Hermosas, which embodies the diverse and stunning coffee produced by these farmers.

Caravela began working with producers from this area in 2020, with farmers delivering their coffee to the purchasing station in Rioblanco, which was located one to two hours away from their farms. Understanding the needs of the farmers and aiming to provide better accessibility, a new purchasing station was opened in Chaparral in 2022. This station is much closer to the producers, enabling more farmers from the area to participate. Initially, Las Hermosas started with 12 contributing producers, but there is great potential to involve even more producers in the future.

Producer Info:
The coffee farmers contributing to Las Hermosas come from a culture of traditional coffee farming. Some of them have already started to implement changes on their farms in recent years to improve the quality, such as upgrading machinery and using sieves to clean the coffee. Typically, the farms operate as family ventures where all members participate, and they receive help from neighbors when needed.