The Cauca region is located in the South West part of Colombia and has a stable microclimate all year round that is ideal for growing coffee beans. There are a combination of reasons for this including altitude, the protection of the mountains that surround it and the closeness to the equator. 

In the past the area has been affected by violent disputes between the government and FARC rebels. In the last few years there has been a lot of work done to bring peace to the area which has given safe access to the farmers and Colombian coffee companies here.

Colombia’s main export is coffee and it is the third largest producer in the world. Some people say that Colombian artisan coffee is the best arabica you will ever taste. Personally, we love variety, which is why we are so happy to be bringing coffee from Argelia, Cauca to our amazing customers. 

Sadly, like many coffee growers across the world, they have historically not been treated well and have been vulnerable to the unstable  market prices. Consequently, this has forced them to take any price they can.

Although FairTrade works in this part of the world we wanted to go beyond Fair Trade and work directly with farmers in the Cauca region. We at EA are looking to build an honest, transparent relationship with growers that allows them to be sustainable and afford to look after their children and families.