COLOMBIA

El Fénix, Community Wet Mill & Farm

Through El Fénix, we started building our Colombian base of operations in 2015.

Beyond simply being our central meeting point and office, we designed El Fénix with the long-term vision of three distinct, complementary, supporting businesses sharing one space.

1. An organic rare-variety coffee forest + post-harvest lab.

A space for experimenting and gathering data first-hand on new practical farming. Techniques, adaption to organic production, and selective breeding programs. To host farm management and cupping courses for producers and roasters, and to gain roasters’ attention.

For as the old saying goes:

“Come for the Gesha, stay for the results of the community wet mill that matches roaster needs in terms of flavour, price, and corporate social responsibility.”

2. The community wet mill

Through purchasing cherries rather than parchment we can ensure quality by controlling processing variables, maximising the potential value of the coffee. A two-payment system helps to stabilise incomes and improve cashflow timing; the first upfront upon delivering cherry (3-6 weeks earlier than first parchment payments), and a second upon export.

The first payment is the equivalent of COP 1,000,000/carga parchment, the second payment fund is made upon export, and dependent on the price roasters are willing to pay; if roasters are willing to pay more, that difference/kg flows straight through to the producers in the neighbourhood in the second payment.

3. Ecotourism + farm focused farm-stay

From the outset we knew the hosting of our visiting roasters and farmers should be managed by experts in this field; not ourselves. The resulting “El Fénix farm-stay” business is owned and funded separately to Raw Material. Celebrated chef (and Miguel’s brother) Alejandro Fajardo Mendoza at the helm full-time. He lives on the farm, tends to native fruits and vegetables, cares for ducks and fish, creates new dishes, and shares the whole experience with guests.