Raul Duran

Buena Vista is more than a coffee farm; it symbolises generational dedication, communal cooperation, and unwavering commitment to producing exceptional coffee. Every cup from Buena Vista offers a taste of its rich flavors, a sip of its storied history, and a vision for a sustainable and cooperative future in coffee cultivation.

Buena Vista farm is located in the Planadas department, in the southern part of the Tolima region, deep in the foothills of the Central mountain range of the Colombian Andes. It is a coffee farm steeped in history and driven by a commitment to quality and community.

The farm, part of the ACEDGA group, represents a cooperative effort that brings together multiple families in a shared pursuit of coffee excellence. Spanning 4.5 hectares, with 3.5 dedicated to coffee, Buena Vista cultivates an impressive array of coffee varieties, including Caturra, Colombia, Castillo, Pink Bourbon and exquisite Gesha. This diversity showcases not only the farm’s agronomic expertise but also its dedication to providing a range of flavours to coffee enthusiasts worldwide.

Buena Vista’s story is rich with heritage and ambition. The farm has been in Raul’s family for four generations, tracing back to his great-grandfather, an Antioquian “muleteer.” His arrival near the Nazawex indigenous reservation marked the beginning of a legacy in coffee cultivation. Over generations, expertise in coffee growing was honed, culminating in a project focused solely on specialty coffee. This dedication bore fruit in 2014 when they became finalists in the Cup of Excellence (COE) in Colombia.

Their shared passion for coffee strengthens the bond between Raul and his wife Astrid Medina, who is his motivator and closest supporter. Together, they envision a future where Buena Vista continues to expand its repertoire of exotic varieties and further refine its post-harvest processes to ensure consistency in every cup.

Buena Vista aims to inspire and instil its effective processes throughout the local community. The spirit of cooperation extends to its work with Inconexus, enhancing pre- and post-harvest practices, and with ACEDGA, contributing to the delivery of organic certification. This certification underscores the farm’s commitment to sustainable practices and respect for the environment.

About Tolima

Tolima is located in the west-central part of Colombia. Though coffee is still relatively new here, it already took the third position among coffee-producing areas in Colombia. It mainly belongs to small and medium-scale coffee growers. With challenging landscape at altitudes of 1.600 – 2.000 masl, agroforest, volcanic, and mineral soil, the diverse ecosystems enable to harvest the coffee throughout the whole year. It is a magical region where farmers are open to experimenting, works organic, and trying on new varieties and post-harvest practices.

About ACEDGA

The population, tired of the conflict and illicit cultivation, settled in the area and began to experiment with the cultivation of coffee, as their way to get away from the problems of the region. Six years later (2006), they won Cup of Excellence contest organized by the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC).

By seeing the potential of the coffee they cultivated, they decided to associate (49 families, each with their own farm) and create the association ACEDGA = Grupo Asociativo de Oroductores De Café Especial Diferenciado de Gaitania Tolima, with the objective to seek better opportunities for the commercialization and sustainability of their coffee.

They decided to work together to produce better quality coffee, for which they initiated the Fair Trade and Organic certification process. In certifications, they found a way to increase prices while improving quality and recognition.

50-50 Program

This coffee is sourced in partnership with InConexus.

The “50-50” label is ROAST’s signature branded coffee that guarantees the farmers 50% of the retail price. The “50-50” label raises the bar for sustainability guaranteeing the farmers 50% of the retail price*.

* After sales taxes and duties. All costs in the origin country and transportation costs to the roastery (including taxes, duties, commissions etc.) are covered by the farmers. Smaller parts of the farmer payments may be given as donations to projects and organisations to help educate farmers etc.