Key takeaways
- Colombia has built a global reputation for consistently clean washed coffees.
- It is also emerging as one of the world’s largest producers of co-fermented coffees.
- Co-fermented coffees use external organic substrates such as fruit pulp, musts, or cacao pulp during fermentation.
- When producers apply transparency and technical skill, co-fermentation supports Colombia’s push to innovate.
For decades, washed coffees, often described as “milds”, defined Colombia’s coffee identity. Through its national coffee federation, the FNC, the country invested heavily in infrastructure and standardised processing. This strategy cemented Colombia’s reputation for clean, consistent flavour profiles, but it also limited deviation from established norms.
In recent years, that position has shifted as co-fermented coffees formed a distinct category within specialty coffee. Producers in Panama, Costa Rica, and Brazil have also adopted co-fermentation, but Colombia now leads in scale and visibility.
Differentiation drives much of this growth. “Producers are under pressure from rising costs and price volatility. Co-ferments offer a way to add value fast,” says Isis Couto, UK Relationship Manager at Colombian producer and exporter Forest Coffee. “At the same time, roasters want coffees that turn heads and spark conversations.”
Co-fermented coffees continue to divide opinion. Purist advocates argue that adding organic substrates alters the coffee’s natural expression and introduces flavours not attainable through traditional processing. In 2024, the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama reinforced this view when it excluded infused coffees, used interchangeably with co-fermented in this context, from the Best of Panama competition.
Elsewhere, industry bodies have embraced co-fermentation as innovation. In late 2023, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) updated the 2024 World Barista Championship regulations. The rules now allow competitors to use infused and co-fermented coffees, provided producers introduce any additional ingredients before the green coffee stage.
“It’s the intensity of the flavour profile and the unique, obvious fruit notes that draw people in,” says Bethany Williams, General Manager of Cofinet UK, which exports a wide range of Colombian coffees, including co-fermented lots.
You may also like our article on the difference between co-ferments and yeast inoculation.
Colombia has always been innovative in processing
Colombia’s approach to coffee production has become synonymous with innovation. Experimental and “funky” coffees, once most closely associated with a handful of well-resourced producers in origins such as Panama, are now emerging more widely across other producing countries, with Colombia championing the shift.
Lactic fermentation, first promoted by La Palma y El Tucán in Cundinamarca, and koji fermentation at El Vergel Estate in Tolima are among the most notable examples. Yet among the many experimental approaches now available, co-fermentation has generated the most attention.
“Colombia has the technical skills to do processing well, so experimentation feels like a natural step,” Isis says.
The process demands precision. Producers must manage higher sugar levels, faster fermentation rates, and a greater risk of spoilage. The additional labour and inputs also increase costs.
“Co-fermented coffees are expensive because of the volume of fruit you need,” Bethany explains. “The price is justified when meticulous processing results in a clean and balanced cup, where the fruit and the coffee intertwine perfectly.”
The additional ingredients, whether fruit or other external organic substrates, interact with the coffee’s mucilage, altering microbial activity and influencing flavour development. When handled carefully, the result can be a more pronounced and distinctive sensory profile. When handled poorly, however, the results can be unbalanced or taste artificial.
Colombia also has the potential to scale processing
The country’s long-standing reputation for producing exceptional washed coffees has also provided a strong foundation for experimentation in processing. With more than 560,000 predominantly smallholder farmers operating within one of the world’s most developed coffee sectors, access to agronomy and processing education is widespread.
Regular training programmes, cooperative support, and farm-to-farm communication mean new techniques can be quickly shared and refined. As a result, skills in processing innovations such as co-fermentation can spread and take hold across multiple regions. Without this level of infrastructure, knowledge, and support, producers could easily lose money.
This experimentation is often rooted in what is already available on farms. “Our fruit ferments began as a way to use fruit that we couldn’t export during Covid, and then popularity exploded over the last few years,” Bethany explains.
“We only use fruit fermentation with coffees that we can grow in abundance (Castillo mainly), and that may need help in processing to improve the flavour profile and cupping score.”
What do co-ferments signal for Colombia’s coffee sector?
As the volume and diversity of co-fermented coffees emerging from Colombia continue to grow, questions remain around whether this could dilute the country’s global reputation for high-quality washed coffees.
Colombia’s evolution in processing and flavour expression has also been accompanied by changes in how quality is formally assessed, including the FNC’s recent adoption of the SCA’s Coffee Value Assessment framework.
“The CVA allows room for these coffees to be scored, and of course, they are inherently more subjective,” Bethany explains. “Everyone knows that a co-ferment has additions and that it needs to be assessed differently.
“The country’s coffee sector is clearly evolving. Change isn’t a bad thing, and it doesn’t mean that Colombia will only become known for exotic fermentations or that they will become the standard for quality,” she adds. “Co-ferments aren’t ‘bread and butter’ coffees. We sell them in very small volumes compared to the washed Colombian regionals that people know and love, so they won’t define the origin’s quality.”
When done right, more experimental processing methods can also deliver higher returns. Co-fermented coffees often achieve premiums over clean washed lots in certain export markets, including China and Saudi Arabia, where demand for highly expressive flavour profiles continues to grow.
“Washed coffees are still Colombia’s foundation. Co-ferments don’t replace that identity; they expand it,” Isis says. “Quality today isn’t about one ‘correct’ flavour style, but about whether a coffee delivers on its purpose and market.
“They’re probably a long-term niche, not the future of all Colombian coffee. The interest will stabilise, but well-made co-ferments are here to stay as part of Colombia’s broader, very diverse offering.”
Colombia will continue to earn recognition for producing exceptional washed coffees. As producers combine greater investment and technical knowledge with a willingness to experiment, they create space for tradition and innovation to develop side by side.
When producers market co-fermented coffees transparently and apply strong technical competence, they protect Colombia’s reputation rather than weaken it. These coffees can instead highlight the depth of innovation and effort within an already established coffee-growing country.
Through this approach, Colombia can serve as a reference point for other producing countries, demonstrating how value creation and experimentation can evolve alongside established coffee traditions rather than replace them.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why co-fermented coffees are becoming their own category.
Photo credits: Cofinet
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