Women in Colombian Specialty Coffee

The role of women in Colombian coffee is fundamental and historically underrecognised. The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation estimates that women are involved in approximately 70% of coffee farm activities, from selective picking to post-harvest processing, yet farm ownership and marketing decisions have traditionally been male-dominated. This is changing, and producers like Maricela Penagos at Finca Buena Vista represent the shift: women-led farms that combine traditional agricultural expertise with quality ambition and direct market engagement.

Finca Buena Vista's name — beautiful view — reflects both the physical landscape (the high-altitude vistas that define Colombian coffee country) and the quality perspective that Penagos brings to her operation. The farm produces specialty lots processed with the precision that international buyers require, and has been building relationships with specialty importers who explicitly prioritise women-led producers in their sourcing.

The Buena Vista Lot

The coffee from Finca Buena Vista is processed using traditional Colombian washed protocols: selective hand-harvesting of ripe cherries, same-day depulping, controlled tank fermentation, clean washing, and raised-bed or covered patio drying. The terroir speaks clearly through this honest processing — volcanic soil minerals, altitude-driven slow cherry maturation, and the clean acidity that makes Colombian washed coffee one of the world's most valued origins.

Brew Guide