| Coffee was first introduced to Colombia around the | | | | but Colombia's coffee still remains some of the best |
| same time Jesuit priests first began arriving from | | | | and most well known throughout the world. This is |
| Europe in the mid 16th century. The leaders of | | | | largely due to the very successful marketing campaign |
| Colombia tried to encouraged people to grow coffee, | | | | created by the National Federation of Colombian |
| but they met with resistance. Worried that a coffee | | | | Coffee Growers in 1959. They introduced the world to |
| tree takes five years to provide its first crop, they | | | | the fictitious character Juan Valdez. 85% of |
| wondered how they were going to survive during this | | | | Americans still associate Juan Valdez with Colombian |
| period? A priest in a small village named Francisco | | | | Coffee. |
| Romero had an idea, instead of the usual penance at | | | | Colombian coffee is grown at high altitudes and |
| confession, he told them to plant 3 or 4 coffee trees. | | | | tended to with care intercropped in the shade of |
| The Archbishop of Colombia ordered everyone to use | | | | banana and rubber trees. Colombian coffee is known |
| this penance thinking it was an excellent idea and it | | | | to be among the best in the world, with a rich, |
| became the general practice. This started Colombia as | | | | full-bodied, and perfectly balanced taste. The rich |
| the worlds second largest coffee producing country | | | | volcanic soil in the arid mountains of Colombia produce |
| built on the penance of its forefathers. | | | | ideal conditions for growing high quality coffee. |
| Colombia began exporting coffee and in 1835 | | | | Colombian coffees are grown in two main regions; |
| exported around 2500 bags to the U.S. By 1875 | | | | The region of Medellin, Armenia and Manizales (MAM), |
| Colombia was now exporting 170,000 bags to U.S. and | | | | in central Colombian are more heavy bodied, rich in |
| Europe. In 1992 exports of coffee topped at 17,000,000 | | | | flavor with fine, balanced acidity. The area near |
| bags, and are currently around 11,000,000 bags per | | | | Bogotá and Bucaramanga which is more |
| year. | | | | mountainous in the east produce an even richer, |
| Vietnam has recently taken over from Colombia as | | | | heavier and less acidic coffee and are the finest ofthe |
| the world's second largest coffee producing country | | | | two regions. |