Comedulce
As weary travelers trekked through the mountains from neighboring hamlets, making their way to Popayán, the capital of the Cauca department, they stopped for respite in a small community where they bought much-needed locally made candy. Made from natural sugar cane, travelers feasted on the candy wrapped in banana leaves to recharge before they continued. As time went on, the candy's popularity grew, as did the community's, so much that it was named Comedulce (or candy-eater).
A predominantly Afro-Colombian community, farmers also double as artisanal gold miners, another tradition inherited from their ancestors. The roads are a labyrinth of unpaved, narrow, winding trails that rise to the sky and descend abruptly like a roller coaster. Historic disenfranchisement, lack of services like water and electricity, and remote difficult-to-navigate roads have made the community an island of coffee among a sea of illicit crops. Staunchly devout, the farmers have stayed true to coffee and avoided becoming involved in the drug trade.
Since its founding, Cosecha Traders has worked with several farmers in Comedulce despite the pandemic, social protests, and armed conflict to help them import their coffee to the USA, gain access to competitive specialty markets, and to develop this nascent origin. We dream of connecting as many farmers in Comedulce as possible and making it a destination for coffee professionals as it was for travelers before the community had a name.
Department: Cauca
Farm: Various
Varietals: Castillo, Colombia, Caturra and Tabi
Altitude: 1750 - 1950 MASL