Báo Cà Phê—For over six decades, Colombia’s cooperative coffee model has upheld one of the most important guarantees in the rural economy — the assured purchase of coffee at fair and transparent prices. Through Expocafé S.A., a network of 24 cooperatives operating across 16 departments, Colombian coffee farmers benefit from immediate purchase at market prices based on the New York Stock Exchange, along with a premium for Colombian coffee quality. This system directly supports over 500,000 farming families across 540 municipalities.
A Unique System in Latin America
Colombia’s cooperative network stands out as the only one in Latin America that ensures a continuous supply of coffee throughout the year. This is possible because of the country’s dual harvest calendar:
Main harvest (first semester) and mitaca (second semester) in departments such as Cundinamarca, Nariño, Cauca, and Tolima.
Main harvest (second semester) and mitaca (first semester) in Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Valle, Norte de Santander, Santander, Boyacá, Huila, Quindío, Cesar, Magdalena, and La Guajira.
This dual production window guarantees operational continuity and logistical stability for international buyers — even amid global market volatility.
“Expocafé is, in essence, the cooperative exporting itself. We are the coffee growers bringing our own coffee to the world — with full traceability and profits that return directly to the roots of Colombian coffee,”
— Alexander Henao, General Manager, Cooperativa de Salgar (Antioquia)
From Producers to Shareholders
Unlike private intermediary models, Colombia’s coffee cooperatives operate as formal enterprises with corporate governance, administrative management, tax compliance, and technical teams. This allows coffee growers to become not just suppliers, but shareholders in the export business.
Through this structure, farmers gain access to:
Credit and financing for farm development
International certifications for quality and sustainability
Infrastructure and logistics projects that enhance long-term competitiveness
Beyond Commerce: Engines of Rural Development
More than trading entities, the cooperatives act as comprehensive rural business hubs, enabling small producers to access resources that would be difficult to obtain individually. These include:
Sustainability and quality certifications
Food sovereignty and financial education programs
Traceable information systems
Such initiatives have helped cooperatives contribute to the achievement of up to 10 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This model has become a technical and documentary guarantor in the international market,” says Henao. “We no longer just export coffee — we export quality, tradition, and sustainability. We can show how it’s produced, under what conditions, who the farmer is, and how resources are reinvested. That’s what the market values.”
A Trusted Export Channel for Colombian Coffee
Former Minister Andrés Valencia emphasizes:
“The cooperative system is part of the DNA of Colombian coffee growers and has been essential in maintaining the national coffee purchase guarantee.”
With over 40 years of experience, Expocafé has become one of the most trusted export channels for Colombian coffee — a symbol of how cooperative organization can serve as a competitive advantage in global markets.
As a 100% Colombian company specializing in the commercialization and export of high-quality coffee, Expocafé works directly with producers across the main coffee-growing regions. Its mission is built on three pillars:
Fair prices and direct purchasing
Certified traceability and quality control
Sustainability across the entire value chain
Through this model, Colombia’s cooperatives not only sustain the livelihoods of half a million families but also project to the world a vision of ethical, transparent, and sustainable coffee production — where every cup tells the story of a community that grows, shares, and thrives together.
