Jairo Arcila, the driving force behind Cofinet, an import/export venture, forges direct ties with the farmers in his network, overseeing the cultivation of this particular batch himself. A civil engineer and third-generation coffee cultivator, Jairo's roots in the industry run deep, cultivated during his childhood spent amidst the coffee plantations alongside his father.
His journey began as a Mill Manager at Colombia's second-largest coffee exporter, where he spent four decades honing his craft. Venturing into coffee cultivation on his own, Jairo's keen interest led to a remarkable 25% increase in production through meticulous farming techniques and the strategic use of fertilizers. In 2014, an encounter with Gesha seeds marked a turning point, leading to the establishment of one of Quindio's pioneering Gesha plantations.
Alongside his sons, Carlos and Felipe, Jairo established Cofinet, entrusting its operations to them while he focuses on smaller-scale endeavors like nurturing micro-lots and exploring experimental coffee processes. His portfolio now boasts five farms, providing employment opportunities to the locals of Quindío: Esmeralda, Villarazo, Santa Monica, Maracay, and Buenos Aires. Ice fermentation is a relatively new, experimental processing method that was developed by coffee producer Jairo, Felipe & Carlos.
To elaborate: The cherries, picked from the Castillo shrubs are meticulously selected at their peak of ripeness, and prepared for processing.
The lot is then exposed to an anaerobic fermentation for a duration of 24 hours before being ensconced within GrainPro bags for an additional 50 hours, all under temperatures lingering below 22 degrees, and eventually, subjected to a freezing spell lasting 72 hours.
Following this chilling fermentation, the coffee, frozen, is carefully arranged on raised beds, where it remains under temperatures not surpassing 35 degrees until the optimal moisture content is attained.
