Although our formal buying relationship with Melky is less than a year old, we have known about his coffee and reputation for incredible quality for more than 5 years, when our coffee buyer, Enrique Hernandez, first cupped some of his varietals in 2019. A few years later, we continued to see that Melky’s coffees were consistently rated at the top of their class, with regular prizes at Cup of Excellence events in Narino, Colombia. 

At the 2023 Cup of Excellence, we purchased 800 pounds of Melky’s caturra for $5.50 per pound. This coffee is unbelievably delicious and deserving of its award. Perhaps more importantly, this transaction has become a launching pad for a strong friendship with Melky, who is one of the most forthcoming and affable farmers we have ever met.

Through our new relationship with Melky, we have already learned that he pays his pickers 800 pesos per kilo of red cherry. We look forward to finding out more about how he ensures a livable wage for his workers even if we are unable to do so currently based on the small volume of our purchase. We do not currently have a Common Good Project with Melky but we may if, as we expect, our relationship continues to flourish.