Producer: Various smallholder farms
Region: San Agustin
Altitude: 1,650-1900m above sea level
Varietals: Castillo, Pink Bourbon, Colombia, Papayo, Catimor, Tabi
La Colmena - or The Beehive in Spanish- was a name conceived of by Esnaider Ortega-Gomez and Didier Ortega of Monkaaba to capture the spirit of this traceable blend from Colombia. The spirit of the name is derived from the fact that in the beehive, each member works for the greater good of the whole, not simply for themselves. This coffee exemplifies this philosophy as it is centered around coffees grown by the younger members of the group and those making their first attempts to process a coffee for microlot sale. This means that each indivual lot may not be strong enough to stand on its own, but once grouped together the sum becomes greater than its parts.
In many ways, the vision of Monkaaba is based in these same roots. A smallholder run sourcing project that operates as a sister company to our partners Semilla, the aim from the beginning has been to give opportunities to those traditionally left outside of the specialty market. Semilla assists them by covering all their costs associated with running an open access cupping laboratory, as well as paying salaries to the smallholders who work as roasters, accountants, lab, and warehouse managers in the small bodega. Monkaaba’s aim has always been to break down the barriers that confront the smallholder - especially in terms of understanding the quality of their own coffees, and the intricacies of the coffee supply chain. Most growers have no idea what their coffee tastes like in a cupping setting which means the knowledge to improve their coffee is not freely accessible. Typically, the most a producer receives when they deliver coffee is a cup score and a few notes on physical defects.
Monkaaba operates contrary to this system - allowing smallholders free and open access to cup their own coffees and to receive feedback and advice on how they can improve. Beyond that, they also have the opportunity to learn things about the supply chain that are typically not available to them. For example, it’s not usually known by the smallholder how much their coffee costs to the buyer or how long it takes to travel to North America or Europe, nor who their final clients are.
Beyond serving as an incubator for many growers, Colmena allows Semilla to buy more levels of quality, and more varieties, from the smallholders involved in Monkaaba at a differentiated price, thereby elevating the economic sustainability of each farm. Almost all growers in San Agustin manage a small plot of their farm with a hybrid variety that is considered non-viable for specialty sale and is relied upon to achieve quick cash in hand at all times via the local market. The goal is to see that these coffees go to the Monkaaba x Semilla network instead, allowing a much better financial result and pushing towards a more sustainable buying system.
The end goal is always to connect with and support smallholders who have limited or no access to a differentiated market. When we focus only on the highest quality coffees to do this, the truth is that many of these growers will be left out. Projects like La Colmena offers an entry point to new, peripheral growers who can receive a better price for their coffee than the conventional market but also receive complementary advice and feedback on processing and quality that can allow them learn how to achieve quality marks that will set them apart.
Many of the growers who have submitted coffee to this blend have now achieved a micro lot after joining, a sign that this project is working. As Esnaider has discussed before, they truly believe that this type of supportive ecosystem- the beehive - is leading to increased quality and consistency of quality across the board for all the smallholders affiliated with Monkaaba. Beyond that, La Colmena allows for smallholders to know there is one single dedicated buyer for their coffee, run by people they trust and respect, who are members of their own community and even extended family network.
