Colombian Coffee Brand Juan Valdez and Flavor Profile of Colombian Coffee Growers Federation FNC

Colombian Coffee Brand Marketing

Colombia understood the value of marketing early and began building its coffee brand image long ago. Its greatest success came in 1958, when it created the character of Juan Valdez, a coffee farmer representing Colombian coffee.

Juan Valdez

Juan Valdez and his mule became icons of Colombian coffee, their image appearing on coffee packaging everywhere and in advertising campaigns over the years, portrayed by three different actors. Juan Valdez became a recognizable brand (especially in the United States) and increased the added value of Colombian coffee. Thanks to early slogans such as "Mountain Grown Coffee" and continuous promotion of "100% Colombian Coffee," Colombian coffee secured a unique position in the minds of consumers worldwide.

National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC)

All of these marketing and promotion initiatives were launched and executed by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC). Founded in 1927, the federation is unusual in the coffee industry: while many countries have organizations devoted to export and promotion, few have one so large and complex.

Colombian Coffee Production

To promote Colombian coffee, the FNC created two terms: "Supremo" and "Excelso." These terms relate to the size of the coffee beans, not their quality. Mixed beans are machine-screened and then classified by size.

Coffee Flavor Profile

Colombian coffee shows many different aromas. Some present rich chocolate flavours, while others are sweet like jam with fruity notes. There is significant variation between growing regions.

Colombian Coffee Brand Recommendations

The Colombian coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer excellent assurance in both brand and quality. More importantly, they are extremely cost-effective: a 227-gram box costs only 95 yuan. At 15 grams per cup, one package makes 15 cups, or about 6 yuan per cup. That is a genuinely conscientious recommendation compared with the tens of yuan per cup charged by coffee shops.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombia can be used in many ways, from espresso blends to single-origin pour-over, and FrontStreet's Colombia Huila shows why. From the country's most famous specialty province, where the growing altitude sits above 1,500 metres and the most important rivers converge, it is roasted medium-dark to emphasize dark chocolate and nutty sweetness with moderate oil and a full body, and it works for pour-over and French press as well as moka pot and espresso machine.

For a more modern, fruit-forward style, FrontStreet's Sidra is an anaerobic natural. The low-oxygen fermentation yields extra tropical-fruit aromatics, and at medium-light roast it delivers passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried-fruit notes in pour-over, cold brew, drip bags, and moka pot.

Home baristas with an espresso machine or moka pot can try FrontStreet's Specialty Espresso Blend, which pairs Brazil's cream-and-nut sweetness with Colombia's dark-chocolate bitterness for a fine golden crema and a rich, smooth latte, and also serves as the base for Americanos, cappuccinos, and mochas.