Colombia Black Condor

Nestled in the heart of Gaitania, Tolima, a region historically affected by war and the birthplace of Colombian coffee, resides Emmanuel, a coffee aficionado raised by a lineage of coffee wizards. It all began back in 2006 when he decided to delve deeper into the coffee world. Learning the ropes of processes, quality, and varieties fueled his passion for crafting specialty coffees. But there was a catch- like many fellow farmers, Emmanuel faced a common challenge: The lack of a central processing hub for quality control. Fast forward to 2016 Emmanuel and his family decided to take matters into their own hands. They created a coffee processing center that would bridge the gap for over 15 villages in Gaitania, helping local coffee growers process their beans. And that's when Forest Coffee stepped in. They helped Emmanuel take this project to the next level and named this partnership the Black Condor Project. BCP established a washing station to support farmers from Gaitania who have been affected by guerrilla war. They ensure direct and fair payment, offering rates 18-20% above market rate. Driven by quality, they consistently host workshops with producers covering processes, fermentation, drying, and cupping their own coffees. They foster internal competition among producers to promote and give visibility to their coffees and improvements. Today, the Black Condor Project has over 100 independent coffee producers on board, creating real and tangible impact within communities and regional prosperity and economy.