Café Granja La Esperanza
Beginning in 1930, Israel Correa and Carmen Rosa Vega arrived in Valle del Cauca seeking unoccupied land to start a farm, acquiring Potosi. Over the upcoming years, their way of life remained unchanged, centered around their farm and their growing family, a tradition deeply rooted in Colombian culture. Faced with a lack of labor, the children stepped up to help, becoming an integral part of the farm’s operations. In 1945, the family introduced three new varieties to their existing Typica: Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, and Caturra, a testament to their unity and shared commitment to the farm.
Two of the eleven children, Rigoberto and Luis, showed particular interest in coffee production and processing. They decided to give their crop a new direction, changing to organic farming in the late 90’s. This transition was not without its challenges, but it brought significant benefits, including improved soil health and a more sustainable farming model. Besides Potosí, another farm in the Trujillo region was acquired to enlarge the organic production, La Esperanza farm. In 2007 Don Rigoberto had the chance to lease and manage a coffee farm in the area of Boquete in Panama called “La Carleida,” and a year later obtained first place in the “Best Coffee of Panama.” At this point, he decided to bring some of the Geisha seeds to Colombia, starting a new era in the history of Granja La Esperanza.
Five farms comprise the Café Granja La Esperanza: Cerro Azul, Las Margaritas, La Esperanza, Potosi, and Hawaii. With a reputation for producing competition-winning coffees, processes are matched with varieties to create unique flavor profiles.