Café Granja La Esperanza is one of Colombia’s most celebrated specialty coffee producers, known for its innovation, experimentation, and pursuit of excellence. Founded in 1945 in Valle del Cauca by Blanca Ligia Correa and Juan Antonio Herrera, the farm began with classic varieties such as Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra. Over the decades, the Herrera family expanded their operations and shifted toward specialty production, a vision later championed by brothers Rigoberto and Luis Herrera.
Today, Café Granja La Esperanza manages five distinct farms—Cerro Azul, Las Margaritas, La Esperanza, Potosí, and Hawaii—spread across varied microclimates of the Colombian Andes. This diversity allows them to cultivate rare and high-performing varieties, including Geisha, Sudan Rume, and their own hybrid “Mandela.” Each farm is managed with scientific precision, tailoring cultivation and processing methods to the unique terroir and varietal requirements.
Their pioneering work with Geisha, introduced after studies in Panama, helped put Colombian Geisha on the world stage. In 2012, their efforts were recognized with the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s “Triple Crown,” earning multiple top spots in the Coffees of the Year competition. Beyond accolades, the farm is renowned for pushing boundaries in processing, from carefully managed washed coffees to complex natural and experimental fermentations.
Café Granja La Esperanza has become a benchmark in specialty coffee, admired by roasters and producers worldwide. Their commitment to quality, consistency, and innovation has elevated Colombian coffee to new heights, making them both stewards of tradition and leaders of progress in the global coffee industry.
ABOUT THE VARIETY
The Sudan Rume variety was first discovered near the border of Sudan and Ethiopia. Understood to be a low yielding variety, Sudan Rume is prized for its disease resistant properties and is often used to create new coffee hybrids. Meanwhile, specialty focused coffee producers have come to appreciate its floral and fruity qualities.
This natural processed Sudan Rume showcases perfumy tropical notes of lychee and passionfruit with aromatics of thyme and sage. A maple syrup sweetness transforms into candied cocoa nib in the aftertaste.
