Colombia Suukala

ROAST

• Farm: Various Smallholder
• Location: Riosucio, Caldas 
  
• Altitude: 1,400 - 1800 m
• Process: Washed
• Varietal: Caturra, Colombia, Castillo

Cupping Notes

Green apple, lemon, caramel and dark chocolate.

More Information

It is a joy to bring this long house favourite coffee back to the roastery from our friends at Siruma coffee (sourced through Falcon coffees). This August we had the delight and privilege of hosting Siruma’s founders Valentina and Gabriel for a day, and showing them round the place we love to call home. Meeting them and hearing their stories from Colombia was inspirational and enlightening and makes it all the more special to be able to share their hard work and coffee with you all. Suukala, meaning ‘sugary and sweet’, is Siruma’s range that ‘represents the hard work of farmers who are committed to producing high-quality, high-scoring coffees.’  
In the 1950s in the municipality of Riosucio Caldas, as in all Colombian coffee-producing municipalities, coffee farmers were dissatisfied with the exploitation they suffered at the hands of intermediary grain buyers. It was then that a group of coffee farmers, guided by the Cooperative Development Department of the Caldas Departmental Coffee Committee, called 255 farmers to the Constituent Assembly, which was held at the warehouses of the National Federation of Coffee Growers in Riosucio in 1963. Founding members included coffee farmers of different social, cultural, and religious backgrounds. The Coffee Farmers' Cooperative began providing direct services in Riosucio, including coffee purchase, credit section, and agricultural provision.

Today, it has 2,635 members distributed across 171 villages located in the Department of Caldas in the municipalities of Riosucio, Supia, Marmato, and Quinchía in the Department of Risaralda. The staff consists of 64 employees who work with commitment and dedication to provide services to all members at the seven purchase points.

98% of coffee farmers in Colombia are small-scale producers, which means that labour is provided by their families. Through their work, members have succeeded in positioning specialty coffee in the national and international markets due to its quality and sensory attributes in the cup. It stands out for its efficient marketing and different specialty coffee programs such as FairTrade, C.A.F.E practices, La Vereda, Nespresso, Organic Coffee, and Rainforest.