At the heart of Cauca, in Piendamó, lies the non-profit collective "Asociacion de Caficultores del Centro del Cauca por la Paz" (ACC), established in 2016. Dedicated to cultivating superior coffee, ACC has strived to improve every step of the coffee journey, from crop to commercialization. The overarching goal of their efforts is to foster positive social change in the region, improving the livelihoods of peasant families, safeguarding the environment, and striving for peace within their territory.
With 77 associates who each cultivate an average of 1.5 hectares of land between 1,700 and 2,100 meters above sea level, the ACC believes in the power of collaboration. They tirelessly work to alleviate poverty and social conflicts in their region, aiding members with commercial strategies and crop-related technology. The association encourages each member to tailor the coffee processing techniques to their liking, allowing for innovative fermentations.
ACC's coffee varieties include Castillo, Cenicafé, Tabi, Bourbon, Caturra, and Colombia. The coffee is dried primarily through parabolic and mechanical silos. Housed in a rented facility in Piendamó, the association boasts a coffee laboratory equipped with all the essential tools for coffee selection and cupping, conducted by a certified Q-Grader.
This coffee comes from producers who have carefully hand harvested the coffee followed by pulping and dry fermentation. After fermentation the coffee is washed and dried on concrete patios or tables. Tasting notes include apple, nectarine and sugar cane.
