Mujeres Cafeteras: the women who grow our coffee
A programme for women coffee growers in Huila, Antioquia and Risaralda. We buy its Huila lot directly, and this is where it comes from.
The collective in four figures
- Collective founded
- 2017
- Colombian regions: Huila, Antioquia and Risaralda
- 3
- SCA cup score
- 84+
- No intermediaries
- Direct
From their farms to your cup
Grown and picked
By women trained in good agricultural practice, at 1,200–2,000 m in Huila. Harvest: May–July and October–December.
Washed and dried at origin
The fruit and mucilage come off before the beans dry, which gives a cleaner, brighter cup.
Shipped in GrainPro
The green coffee travels to Sweden in GrainPro-lined sacks, sealed against moisture.
Roasted to your order
In Malmö on our Aillio Bullet R1, to the profile you chose, and posted within 48 hours.
In your cup
The bag carries its roast date. Give it ten days to rest, then brew.
How the price is set
Green coffee trades against the New York "C" price, which moves every day. Coffee from the programme is priced at a fixed premium above it, and the growers have guaranteed purchase agreements.
We buy directly from the collective, with no intermediaries.
- Programa Mujeres Cafeteras
- +44 ¢/lb
- Standard-grade Excelso, for comparison
- +28 ¢/lb
Premium over the New York "C" price, in US cents per pound of green coffee.
Mujeres Cafeteras is a programme that puts the work of women coffee growers in Colombia first. Since 2017 it has strengthened women in the coffee trade by improving their economic and social position and supporting sustainable farming.
Process and harvest
The coffee is grown and picked by women trained in good agricultural practice, at 1,200 to 2,000 metres in regions such as Huila. The main varieties are Caturra, Castillo and other Colombian types. Harvests run from May to July and from October to December, and the cherries are selected and processed by hand so every batch keeps its quality.
What it tastes like
Balanced, with clear notes of blackberry, sweet caramel, vanilla and cherry. Depending on how far we take the roast, the fruit or the chocolate comes forward; that is what our five roast profiles are for.
Social impact
The programme sets out to close the gender gap in coffee as well as to produce excellent coffee. Growers receive leadership training, financial support and guaranteed purchase agreements at premium prices. For many women and their communities it has meant a real improvement in how they live.
"We are empowered women who dream of letting the world know the love with which we produce our coffee."
Technical data
| Producer | Mujeres Cafeteras |
| Regions | Huila, Antioquia and Risaralda |
| Altitude | 1,200–2,000 m |
| Varieties | Caturra, Castillo and other Colombian premium types |
| Process | Washed |
| Harvest | May–July, October–December |
| Notes | Blackberry, caramel, sweet vanilla, cherry |
The varieties
Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon with a shorter stature, which makes it easier to pick. It is known for bright acidity and a rich taste.
Castillo was developed in Colombia to resist coffee leaf rust, and keeps good cup quality with balanced flavours.
Brewing it
Water quality matters more than most people think. Use soft water, ideally below 150 ppm total dissolved solids. Let the coffee rest for at least ten days after roasting, so the harsh and astringent notes mellow and its true character shows. It suits every brewing method: immersion, percolation and espresso.
What makes Excelso premium
Excelso is a grade of Colombian coffee defined by bean size, quality and careful processing. Excelso beans are screen 14 to 16, slightly smaller than Supremo; screening keeps the size, and so the roast, consistent.
It is grown across Antioquia, Caldas, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Huila, Cauca and Santander, and especially in the Coffee Triangle of Risaralda, Quindío and Caldas, at 1,200 to 2,000 metres on rich volcanic soil. Colombian Excelso is washed Arabica: the mucilage is removed before drying, for a cleaner and brighter cup. Beans are often sorted by hand to the European Preparation standard, so only the best are exported.
