ACC Por La Paz and Specialty Coffee in Piendamó, Cauca

Although ACC Por La Paz is a relatively new association in Colombia, it has quickly grown to become the only association in Piendamó, Cauca, dedicated to producing specialty coffee. It was founded in 2016 by 25 associate farmers to help others navigate through their struggles in coffee farming.

At first, progress was slow. During the first few years, ACC was only able to purchase 25,000kg of coffee in parchment from farmers. However, in less than a decade, they’re now able to purchase 1,000,000 kg of coffee parchment per harvest. While farmers aren’t required to become ACC members to sell coffee to the association, many have opted to join to benefit from ACC workshops on crop management and post-harvest production.

There are currently 93 active associates, and all have increased their harvest numbers since joining.

Green coffee is stored in parchment to maintain coffee quality. It is removed prior to export.

ACC primarily produced commercial-grade coffee in its early years. Only 10% of their coffee was specialty because there wasn’t enough demand for their high-scoring lots. This is not an unusual situation; often, it's not a question of whether farmers are willing to produce specialty coffees, but rather if they can find buyers willing to pay the premium for higher-quality coffees.

Young people like Juan Carlo are highly interested in working in the ACC lab. Juan is currently in agronomy school and is learning to be a cupper.

Robinbon Riviera, the leader of ACC, learned about Siruma Coffee–one of Andytown’s partners in Colombia–and the work they do with smallholder farmers. He embarked on a long motorcycle ride from Piendamó to Manizales to knock on their door and present samples from the association. The Siruma team was impressed by both his arduous journey and the quality of the coffee he shared. Siruma has been working with ACC ever since, initially purchasing all of their natural coffee. As the association grew, Siruma purchased other lots. When ACC produced more than Sirumca could purchase, Romney, Siruma’s agronomist in Cauca, helped ACC to find additional buyers for their parchment. Now, ACC produces nearly amounts of commercial-grade and specialty coffee, and it is gradually increasing the specialty percentage to generate more income for growers. Their specialty lineup includes washed, honey, and natural-processed coffees.

Cupping with ACC during our visit in 2023. Alex Caíio, Director of ACC, is on the far left . To his right are 4 young members of the ACC learning to cup. On the right are members of the Siruma Team, Andytown team, and Magnífico Coffee from Chicago.

Thanks to Siruma, we were introduced to ACC and have enjoyed their coffees in the past as a blend component in Wind & Sea and Shore Leave Hook. We’re excited to feature one of their washed lots as a single origin to kick off the new year. It’s comforting with light citrus and deep chocolatey notes, making it perfect for easygoing mornings!