Jairo Arcila is a third-generation coffee grower from Quindio, Colombia. He is married to Luz Helena Salazar and they have two children together, Carlos and Felipe Arcila. Jairo’s first job was at Colombia’s second-largest exporter, working as their Mill Manager for over 40 years until his retirement in 2019.
Besides coffee, Jairo also grows other agricultural products on his farms such as mandarin, orange, plantain, and banana. Jairo enjoys starting the day with a really good breakfast! But most importantly, he enjoys spending time with his family.
Jairo Arcila and his team of pickers selectively harvest only the ripest cherries. The cherries are then transported to Santa Mónica’s sorting area, where the team meticulously hand-sort for any under-ripe or defective beans.
Once sorted, the coffee is then transported to the processing centre at La Pradera, where it will undergo a 30 hour Anaerobic fermentation. This will allow the sugars and organic acids to break down gradually to create a delicate and interesting flavour profile. After the fermentation is complete, the coffee is washed and dried for 10 days.