Single Origin Spotlight: The Colombian Growers Behind Santa Ana

Every cup of coffee begins with a story. Not in a roastery. Not in a café. But thousands of miles away, where the morning mist settles over mountain slopes and skilled hands carefully select each cherry at peak ripeness.

Sum>One Santa Ana Colombia isn’t just exceptional coffee — it’s the culmination of generations of expertise, unwavering dedication and a direct trade partnership built on mutual respect. Today, we’re taking you behind the beans to meet the remarkable families who make it all possible.

The Journey to Santa Ana

When we set out to source truly exceptional Colombian coffee beans, our search led us to the Huila region, nestled in the southwestern Colombian Andes. Here, at elevations between 1,500 and 2000 meters, the conditions create what coffee professionals call “God’s country” for arabica cultivation: volcanic soil rich in minerals, consistent rainfall, and temperature swings between warm days and cool nights that slow cherry maturation and concentrate flavors.

But it wasn’t just the terroir that captured our attention. It was the people.

Amigos de Santa Ana: A Collective Effort

In 2022, recognizing their shared potential and passion, the group formalized as Amigos de Santa Ana, a name that reflects their spirit of camaraderie. What sets this group apart is their unwavering sense of community — producers with larger wet mills and drying infrastructure extend a helping hand to smaller growers. Together, they rotate pickers, ensure timely harvests, share training and host commercial visitors as a united front.

This beautiful minga (a collective effort) exemplifies the harmony that embodies the soul of Colombian coffee craftsmanship.

“For us, our coffee in the field is about sharing, it’s about freedom and that you have your own money and indulge yourself.”

Marceli Calderón, Farmer

From Harvest to Your Cup: The Santa Ana Process

The journey of our ethically sourced coffee beans from Colombian mountains to your morning routine is a testament to patience and precision.

Selective Harvesting: Unlike machine-harvested coffee, every Santa Ana cherry is hand-picked at optimal ripeness. Pickers may return to the same tree multiple times over several weeks, selecting only cherries that have reached perfect maturation.

Washed Processing: Within hours of picking, cherries are pulped to remove the outer fruit, then fermented in clean mountain water for 18–24 hours. This washed process creates the clean, bright acidity that distinguishes Colombian coffee.

Sun Drying: Beans dry slowly on raised beds for 12–15 days, turned regularly by hand to ensure even drying. This patient approach develops complexity that quick mechanical drying can’t match.

Quality Control: Before export, every lot is cupped by the cooperative’s trained quality team.

Taste the Difference: The Santa Ana Profile

All this care culminates in a cup that speaks for itself. Our Santa Ana Colombia Single Origin offers red fruit notes, layered over a foundation of milk chocolate sweetness, with a medium body that makes it versatile enough for espresso or filter brewing.

But beyond the tasting notes, there’s something else in every cup: the knowledge that your purchase directly supports the families who made it possible. When you choose ethically sourced coffee beans online through Sum>One, you’re not just getting exceptional flavor — you’re participating in a more just and sustainable coffee economy.