Colombia Manos Juntas Micromill

TASTE LIKE Cherry, hibiscus, raspberry & dark chocolate

FARM / ORIGIN Sotara, Cauca

VARIETY Castillo

PROCESS Natural

ALTITUDE 1400-2000m

A little story behind the scenes

Manos Juntas is a micromill in Colombia's Cauca region, managed by Banexport, designed to simplify the post-harvest process for coffee producers. Cherries are purchased on the day of harvest, with Brix and pH levels recorded before being placed in hermetic tanks for a five-day anaerobic fermentation, where nitrogen gas is introduced to enhance yeast activity. Depending on the processing method, cherries may be depulped for Honey processing or aged in tanks for Naturally processed coffees before drying in solar dryers for 30-45 days. After drying, the coffee is cupped and sent to Cafe Imports for approval and shipping.

Banexport emphasizes that 50% of coffee quality stems from crop production and 50% from post-harvest processing. By establishing Manos Juntas, they enable producers to focus on healthy coffee cultivation while managing processing, drying, and storage. Producers benefit from upfront payments based on the weight of their cherries, encouraging better harvest practices, and are guaranteed prices above market value. This model reduces travel distances for local farmers and eliminates the need for expensive coffee infrastructure, allowing them to concentrate on maintaining healthy coffee trees.