Cooperativa de Caficultores de Manizales
| City | Chinchina, Caldas |
| Country | Colombia |
| Continent | South America |
The total certified size of Cooperativa de Caficultores de Manizales is 3860 Ha.
COFFEE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF MANIZALES
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(*Trademark registered by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia)
Caldas UTZ CERTIFIED
Coffee is a main component of Caldas’ economy; it represents 59% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 24% of its source of employment. For such reasons, this department is considered a pioneer in the subject of differentiated coffees, always looking for added value for the coffee grower and their families. The combination of excellent weather and soil conditions, due to a high presence of volcanic ash, and the coffee growers’ family traditions, result in the production of coffee with superb quality and consistency.
Manizales Coffee Growers Cooperative was created on August 22nd, 1960 by 42 coffee growers. Its objective was coffee marketing activities that offered its partners and community a guarantee of a good price for the producer at the moment of sale. Nowadays, the Coop has 3,441 associates, 16 purchase points of dry coffee, a modern drying plant and a milling plant with the capacity to process 420,000 60kg-bags of green coffee.
As of March 2006, the Coop certified its Chain of Custody in order to support UTZ CERTIFIED coffee growers. With the assistance of Caldas Coffee Growers Committee and the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, the Coop was able to obtain its first group of producers, nowadays the UTZ certified group includes 149 coffee growers.
Thanks to UTZ labor conditions, along with housing, feeding and security conditions for the coffee growers, their families and workers have enhanced their living conditions. Besides, environmental conservation has been improved due to the producer’s commitment for a responsible and sustainable production.
“EL EDEN FARM. Chinchiná- Caldas- Colombia”
Colombia |  |
Population: 43.5 million people
Capital: Bogota
Produced coffee volume: 744 million kilo in 2007
Type of coffee: Arabica
Colombia is the third largest coffee producer worldwide (behind Brazil and Vietnam) but probably the best known of all coffee producing countries. Mainly ...
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Population: 43.5 million people
Capital: Bogota
Produced coffee volume: 744 million kilo in 2007
Type of coffee: Arabica
Colombia is the third largest coffee producer worldwide (behind Brazil and Vietnam) but probably the best known of all coffee producing countries. Mainly small-scale coffee growers together make Colombia this coffee giant. There are over 500 000 farmers with an average land size of 1.5 hectares. Coffee was introduced to Colombia through Venezuela, originating from the Caribbean Islands. The coffee crop is of great economic importance in Colombia and the national organization of coffee growers invest a lot in optimizing the quality, professionalizing and improving coffee growing techniques. Colombian coffee grows in the moist, temperate foothills of the Andes, where the combination of high altitude and moist climate result in a high quality coffee with a generally mild taste. Being a country with widely diverse micro-climates, the taste of the coffee differs widely depending on where it was grown.
Mr. Jesús María Buitrago, El Canal Farm, Samaná Municipality
“Certification process has helped us to organize better. Everything is in its place, trash and waste water are correctly handled… also our life and security conditions have improved; we take care of our health, before we didn’t even think about that! … With the implementation of registry forms we see our farm as a business and we can assess and improve the results …”
Mr. Carlos Enrique Monsalve, San José Farm, Chinchiná Municipality
“I feel a great satisfaction when I see changes in my farm: it looks better now, everything is in order. Workers see these changes in a positive way because their social conditions are notably improving; also we are now protecting the environment even more …”
HARVEST TIME
Main harvest: September – December (70% of the total production)
Secondary harvest: March - April (30% of the total production)
QUALITY PROFILE
AROMA: VERY PRONOUNCED
ACIDITY: HIGH
BODY: MEDIUM
FLAVOR: FRESH AND LIGHTLY SWEET.
RESIDUAL FLAVOR: PROLONGUED, MILD AND CONSISTENT