La Ceiba Coffee

Up until the 1960's Arabica varieties were predominantely grown in Quindio, which produced excellent coffee. However, quality was not the main concern of growers at the time: quantity was king. So, when Caturra variety was introduced, they uprooted Arabica for Caturra. With four times as many plants per hectare and similar production per plant, coffee bonanza ensued.

In the 80's, though, the rust fungus that attacks coffee leaves, and the drill, a small bug that perforates the bean, made their arrival in Colombia. This perfect storm put many growers out of the market.

The development of varieties resistant to the rust fungus and organic treatments against the drill have brought a renaissance of coffee plantations with a different culture, this time focused on high quality as the only way to survive in a competitive market.

La Ceiba is an example of this new culture: small units, organic production, varieties resistant to rust, varietals that are appreciated in select and niche markets, technology and processes that save water and energy. And in order to compete, we produce select coffee: we select the beans at harvest, before we process them, and then again before we roast them.

Because we are small, we cannot afford to be bad. That is why we strive to improve our product. Every day. At each step of the process. Tirelessly. And the results are clear: 95% beans retained in number 16 to 18 cribs, and a cup that has earned over 85 points from independent tasters.

These achievements, however, only spur us to keep working, and our goal is to produce coffee at 90 points!
If you value our efforts, you can help us grow by visiting our Hotel Boutique La Ceiba.