Iván Andrés Galindo, CEO of Almacafé, discusses the Colombian coffee sector’s unique blend of tradition and innovation, the structural challenges requiring a new vision, and its opportunity to become a global leader.
While many producing countries are forecast to struggle to gain much growth in the 2024-25 coffee harvest, Colombia appears to be bucking the trend with an anticipated yield of about 14 million 60-kilograms bags – up 23 per cent from 2023-24.
The country’s success has been attributed to several factors, including advances in sustainability, productivity, traceability, climate-resistant crops, and market diversification. For Iván Andrés Galindo, CEO of Almacafé, the positive outcome is a result of the Colombian coffee industry working in harmony.
“It is essential that the international coffee industry values the single most essential link in the value chain: the coffee grower. We must appreciate the effort, tradition, and resilience of the more than 530,000 coffee growers who make each harvest possible, maintaining a balance between tradition and innovation,” he says.
“When you buy Colombian coffee, you are not only buying a high-quality product but also supporting a coffee tradition that represents the hard work of thousands of families, respect for the land, and a sustainable production model that seeks the long-term prosperity of the sector.”
Coffee is critical to Colombia. It accounts for about seven per cent of the country’s GDP and almost 12 per cent of its total agricultural export. Coffee cultivation employs around 2.5 million of its 52.3 million population, with the 2024 Colombian crop valued at more than 14 trillion pesos (US$3.14 billion).
Almacafé has played an important role in Colombia’s coffee industry since 1965. As the logistics arm of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), its main purpose is to provide efficiency and quality in the storage, handling, and distribution of Colombian coffee.
“Over the years, we have evolved into a comprehensive logistics operator, offering specialised solutions in logistics, storage, transformation, evaluation of coffee quality, customs agency, and transport management. Our main focus continues to be the coffee industry, where we have our own production processes, such as threshing, roasting, and maquilas,” says Galindo.
“Within the coffee supply chain, we play a key role by acting as a bridge between producers, cooperatives, exporters, and international buyers. We make sure Colombian coffee retains its freshness, quality, and certified origin, meeting export requirements and facilitating its arrival in global markets such as the United States, Europe, and Asia.”
The company is recognised as an Authorised Economic Operator, which means it has been approved by or on behalf of national administration in compliance with the World Customs Organization or equivalent.
As the FNC’s specialised logistics operator, its work is aligned with the Federation’s principles and objectives, directly contributing to the development of coffee growers and the strengthening of the value chain.
“Almacafé is more than a logistics operator: it is a strategic ally of the Colombian coffee sector, working daily to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of our industry and the coffee sector in the global market,” says Galindo.
“We also work with an institutional commitment to strengthen the industry, protect the interests of coffee growers, and ensure the long-term sustainability of Colombian coffee growing.”
Galindo joined Almacafé in September 2023, bringing with him more than 15 years of experience in the logistics sector.
“What attracted me to Almacafé was its key role in the logistics and processing of Colombian coffee – a dynamic and strategic sector,” he says. “The combination of innovation, logistical challenges, and the impact on national coffee growing motivated me to contribute to the growth of this organisation.”
He says Colombia’s unique geography and climatic conditions provide the ideal environment for growing high-quality beans.
“Colombian coffee is recognised worldwide for its exceptional quality, unique sensory characteristics, and the reliability of its production chains,” he says.
“The adoption of new technologies, the strengthening of international certifications, and the growth in specialty coffee consumption have boosted its global competitiveness.”
Over the past few years, Almacafé has contributed to this growth by promoting new logistics and production solutions. Its Fulfilment Project, for example, was developed to optimise order management, storage, packaging, and distribution to ensure efficient delivery both nationally and internationally.
“We have also introduced controlled environment silos that are designed to keep the beans in optimal condition close to the milling centres, which also minimises shipments to nature conservation centres,” he says.
“What’s more, we have developed a state-of-the-art coffee capsule production plant for domestic and international markets and established Regional Industrialisation Centres in the main coffee-growing regions to assist growers in their continued climb up the value chain.”
While the Colombian coffee industry prospered in 2024, Galindo admits, like many other producing countries, it has faced challenges. He highlights climate variability, rising production costs, and volatile international prices that directly affect producer profitability and the sector’s sustainability.
“Colombian coffee growing faces structural challenges that require a renewed vision,” he says.
“In this context, it is essential to promote the transformation and industrialisation of coffee, adding value from the source, accessing differentiated markets, and responding to new commercial demands.”
The implementation of efficient fulfilment models, the modernisation of processing plants, and the optimisation of transportation are further factors Galindo identifies as key methods to improve productivity, reduce costs, and strengthen the logistics chain.
“At Almacafé, we are committed to this transformation and the creation of value in the sector, offering innovative solutions and efficient logistics that will overcome these challenges and strengthen the competitiveness of Colombian coffee globally,” he says.
“We are promoting key projects such as the expansion of the Regional Industrialisation Centres in the roasting and milling service, and the coffee cherry processing and processing plants. We are also optimising distribution with our transportation subsidiary and the rail operation in Big Bags.”
The Big Bag project has been introduced to offer efficient and sustainable transportation of large volumes of coffee, which Galindo believes will revitalise the country’s rail network while also strengthening export logistics operations.
“We aim to be an engine of development for the country, boosting the productivity of coffee growers and entrepreneurs, and supporting them on their path to prosperity. We not only evolve with the industry but also lead its transformation,” he says.
On the back of Colombia’s success in the 2024-25 harvest, Galindo and the team at Almacafé are optimistic about the future of the local coffee industry.
“We hope the Colombian coffee industry will continue to consolidate its global leadership, driven by innovation, sustainability, quality, and a profound transformation that includes industrialisation and modernisation processes. We work to be a profitable sector in which all actors in the chain prosper – especially coffee growers – so they have better opportunities, access to new markets, and benefit from optimised transportation and logistics,” he says.
“We believe in a future where Colombian coffee continues to be a global benchmark, supported by a robust, transformed, and efficient supply chain, and an increasingly competitive and prosperous coffee sector. As our General Manager, Germán Bahamón, says, ‘Colombian coffee has more future than past’.” CR
For more information, visit almacafe.com.co/en/
This article was first published in the May/June 2025 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
