What is Colombian Coffee?

Colombian coffee is coffee made from beans grown in the country of Colombia, in South America. Colombia is a major exporter of coffee, and has been ever since the plant was introduced in the 19th century. This coffee is known for having a distinctively mild, palatable flavor that is enjoyed around the world. While many misspell "Colombian coffee" as "Columbian coffee," the country of Colombia, as well as the coffee from that country, is spelled with an "o" instead of a "u."

Most food historians agree that the plant which produces coffee beans, Coffea arabica, was originally discovered in Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. It is believed that it was in the 15th century that coffee beans were first used to make the caffeinated drink that we are familiar with today. Since that time, coffee has become a very popular drink and has been exported all over the world. Furthermore, crops of coffee are not only grown in the Arabian Peninsula. Now, coffee is grown in countries within Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

The final flavor of coffee has a great deal to do with the kind of roasting that the beans undergo. Coffee beans, which are green when they are picked, must be roasted before they can be used to make a brew. Many coffee companies rely on beans from Colombia for their line of products. Some of the major importers of Colombian coffee are Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Japan, and the United States.

In order to identify coffees that are made with 100% Colombian coffee beans, you can look for the classic Juan Valdez logo. Juan Valdez is a fictional character who was invented to serve as a logo for Colombian coffee. He is pictured in relief on his mule, Conchita with the Colombian mountains in the background. The logo is usually brown and white with the words Cafe de Colombia underneath. The logo was designed in 1959 and has been used in large marketing campaigns since the early 1980s.

Only products that bear the Juan Valdez logo have been approved by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. This organization, which is has its headquarters in Medellin, regulates the coffee market throughout the country. It is a nonprofit business and represents over half a million producers of Colombian coffee. Many of the people who grow Colombian coffee work on small, family-owned farms.