Producer: Omaira Mendez Herrera
Region: Huila
Farm: El Progreso
Elevation : 1800 meters
Variety: Gesha
Process: Washed
Notes: Lilac Flowers, Hibiscus, Starfruit, Bergamot
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In November 2025, we returned to Colombia with Forest Coffee to continue our involvement in the Huila Condor Project, supporting over 96 independent women coffee producers across Pitalito and Timaná, Huila. This year’s visit focused on strengthening producer education, improving quality systems, and deepening direct relationships between producers and roasters through workshops and a live auction.
Throughout the year, producers participated in training around fermentation, drying, cupping, and quality evaluation, helping them continue to push the boundaries of processing and cup quality. The project remains grounded in transparency, traceability, and fair compensation, with producers receiving well above market rates alongside direct support to the women leading these farms.
A major highlight was the Huila Condor Auction, where producers presented micro-lots showcasing innovation and the diversity of coffee in the region. We cupped dozens of coffees spanning classic washed profiles to more experimental fermentation. This year, we purchased coffees from Omaira Mendez Herrera, Claudia Visitacion Burbano, Hilda Tovar Patino, Maria Belen Diaz, and Damaris Munoz, each offering excellent expressions of processing skills and terroir.
The Condor Project continues to be more than a quality initiative. In the face of climate pressures, rising costs, and generational challenges in coffee farming, it creates real opportunity for producers to build sustainable futures through specialty coffee.
Participating in the auction firsthand was especially meaningful. Seeing producers’ pride and gratitude as their coffees achieved exceptional prices was a powerful reminder of the impact of direct relationships and transparency. These coffees represent not only quality, but also resilience, opportunity, and collaboration in specialty coffee.
Producer: Omaira Mendez Herrera
Region: Huila
Farm: El Progreso
Elevation : 1800 meters
Variety: Gesha
Process: Washed
Notes: Lilac Flowers, Hibiscus, Starfruit, Bergamot
——————————————————————————————————————————-
In November 2025, we returned to Colombia with Forest Coffee to continue our involvement in the Huila Condor Project, supporting over 96 independent women coffee producers across Pitalito and Timaná, Huila. This year’s visit focused on strengthening producer education, improving quality systems, and deepening direct relationships between producers and roasters through workshops and a live auction.
Throughout the year, producers participated in training around fermentation, drying, cupping, and quality evaluation, helping them continue to push the boundaries of processing and cup quality. The project remains grounded in transparency, traceability, and fair compensation, with producers receiving well above market rates alongside direct support to the women leading these farms.
A major highlight was the Huila Condor Auction, where producers presented micro-lots showcasing innovation and the diversity of coffee in the region. We cupped dozens of coffees spanning classic washed profiles to more experimental fermentation. This year, we purchased coffees from Omaira Mendez Herrera, Claudia Visitacion Burbano, Hilda Tovar Patino, Maria Belen Diaz, and Damaris Munoz, each offering excellent expressions of processing skills and terroir.
The Condor Project continues to be more than a quality initiative. In the face of climate pressures, rising costs, and generational challenges in coffee farming, it creates real opportunity for producers to build sustainable futures through specialty coffee.
Participating in the auction firsthand was especially meaningful. Seeing producers’ pride and gratitude as their coffees achieved exceptional prices was a powerful reminder of the impact of direct relationships and transparency. These coffees represent not only quality, but also resilience, opportunity, and collaboration in specialty coffee.