Colombia and coffee: an experience that goes beyond the cup

By Agustina Campbell

From the farm to the cup—and from the cup to the trip—the country redefines the way of experiencing coffee: not only as a drink, but as a cultural and sensory experience. The third largest producer in the world, behind Brazil and Indonesia, it is positioned not only for its volume, but also for the identity, traceability and symbolic value of one of its most emblematic products.

For more than a century, coffee has not only been one of Colombia’s most emblematic products: it is part of its identity. Grown in 23 of the 32 regions of the country, crossing mountains, microclimates and diverse geographies, Colombian coffee is today one of the most globally recognized expressions of quality, tradition and culture and ranks third in production worldwide.

But in recent years, that story began to be told differently: not only from production, but also from experience.

A joint initiative between Café Martínez, ProColombia and Copa Airlines seeks just that: transforming coffee into a bridge between culture, tourism and conscious consumption. The proposal is not limited to the cup, but invites you to understand the complete journey of coffee, from the origin of the bean to the final consumer experience.

One product, thousands of territories

Colombian coffee has a key characteristic: its diversity. Each region provides a different profile, determined by factors such as altitude, climate and soil type. Just as it happens with wine in Argentina, where a Malbec from Mendoza is not the same as one from Salta, in Colombia a coffee from Huila differs noticeably from one from Santander or Quindío.

This territorial richness translates into complex flavors, with notes that can range from citrus and fruity to floral, with balanced acidity and a characteristic sweetness, often associated with panela, a traditional Colombian sweetener.

According to David Ledesma, a specialist at Café Martinez, the country has positioned itself as a leader in washed Arabica coffees, a category that privileges the purity of the bean and allows the origin profile to be expressed clearly, without interference from the process.

From grain to experience

The initiative promoted by the three companies focuses on consumer education. Through guided tastings, digital content and experiences in branches, the aim is for the public to not only “drink coffee”, but to understand it.

Because behind a cup there are multiple variables: the varietal, the region, the processing method, the roasting and the preparation. Understanding these factors allows us to transform an everyday experience into a much richer sensory experience.

“The goal is for the consumer to have tools to interpret what they are drinking, to be able to recognize flavors, origins and processes,” explains Ledesma.

Coffee and tourism: a growing connection

The cafe also became a gateway to tourism. The Coffee Cultural Landscape, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is today one of the country’s main attractions.

In this context, the alliance incorporates a tourism dimension that seeks to connect the consumer with the territories of origin. From local experiences to travel proposals, the idea is to take coffee “beyond the cup.”

Copa Airlines, as a strategic partner, plays a key role in this equation by facilitating connectivity between destinations and promoting access to Colombia as a comprehensive experience.

Behind this industry there are more than 550,000 producing families, mostly small farmers. 90% of them work on plots of around 1.4 hectares, which reinforces the artisanal and human character of Colombian coffee.

This productive structure, combined with research, development and a strong country brand identity, allowed us to consolidate a model that today articulates origin, quality and cultural narrative.

In a world where consumption tends to be increasingly conscious, coffee finds a new way to position itself: no longer just as an everyday product, but as an experience loaded with history, territory and meaning.

Colombia understood this a long time ago. And today, through strategic alliances and innovative proposals, it seeks to ensure that the rest of the world also discovers it.

Coffee cultural landscape