Finca La Secreta: The Name Fits

The farm was acquired in 2019 and added to the Cafelumbus portfolio for its extraordinary natural diversity. Five of the 30 hectares are a protected natural reserve — home to animals, native plants, and water sources. Beyond coffee, the family grows plantain, cassava, and beans: a traditional intercropping model improving soil health and farm resilience. Reaching 2,050 masl, La Secreta is one of the highest-altitude operations in the Ciudad Bolívar area — the same municipality as Finca La Luisa (Blogs #16–18).

Juan Carlos Mejía and his family run the farm, and multiple importers highlight the leadership of the women on the farm as a key driver of its innovation culture. Mejía has expanded from anaerobic fermentation into co-fermentation with lychee, hibiscus, natural fruit concentrates, yeasts, and microbes — producing a portfolio of lots each with a distinct sensory identity. The lychee co-ferment first brought international attention; JBC Coffee Roasters called it their "first ever co-ferment coffee" when they carried it.

Hibiscus in Fermentation: Why It Produces Pink Jam

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) contributes anthocyanins and organic acids to co-fermentation, producing the sharp berry-jam aromatics and floral character of hibiscus tea. In the sealed anaerobic environment, these compounds are metabolised by the microbial population — embedding hibiscus-derived aromatics structurally into the parchment rather than coating it externally. The result reads exactly as the name promises: pink jam, rose-hip, floral berry acidity.

"Brilliant and complex Colombian coffee co-fermented with hibiscus. Sweet, balanced, full of character." — Kima Coffee, Málaga

Who Carries Finca La Secreta?

Brew Guide