In 2014, the journey of Coffee People took us to Colombia. The initial goal was simple. To visit a coffee farm we had just purchased coffee from. But the trip became something much bigger. It marked the beginning of a story that continues to this day.
In the Nariño region, we met Jose, who ran a small coffee cooperative. We drove through mountainous plantations, tasted coffee, and talked about life. One day, that road led us to the Inga Aponte community.
That encounter is difficult to put into words. We were welcomed by people in traditional clothing, descendants of the Inca, with their own language, culture, and worldview. Our arrival was marked with a ceremony. It was not just a visit to a coffee farm. It was an entry into a world where coffee is part of identity.
Later, we had the opportunity to share Coffee People coffees from around the world with them. This was not about comparing better or worse. It was a dialogue. Through tasting and discussion, something new began to emerge in their community. They started to see the potential and quality of their own coffee in a new light.
The very next year, a container of coffee from the Inga Aponte community arrived in Estonia.
A Change That Goes Beyond Coffee
At that time, the community was just at the beginning of its journey. Coffee was not their only source of livelihood. Illegal crops were also grown in the region. But the community made a conscious decision. They drove criminal forces out of their territory and chose a different path.
Coffee became their future.
It was not easy. During the first visit, we were even accompanied by an armed guard from the governor. The region was unstable and dangerous. But it is often in such conditions that the strongest stories are born.
Coffee People’s role was not to “save” them. Our role was to be a partner. To buy their coffee directly, to pay a fair price, and to give them confidence that their work is valued.
That gave them the courage to commit.
A Meeting That Changed Both Sides
In 2016, representatives of the Inga Aponte community visited Estonia. It was their first time leaving their village. Documents, long travel, a new culture. Everything was new.
Here, they met the people who drink the coffee they grow.
It was a moment when the coffee chain became transparent. The coffee farmer met the roaster, the barista, and the end consumer. People could truly see where their coffee comes from. And the community could see where their work ends up.
A major media event followed. Interviews, stories, encounters. It touched many people. And that connection has not disappeared.
Years later, people still ask. When will Aponte coffee return?
Growth and Maturity
When we began working together, their production was around 100 tons per year. Today, they have grown to over 400 tons annually. Their coffee has reached the price lists of European roasters. They have found their place in the world.
This is an important shift. It means they no longer depend on a single partner. They are independent, strong, and visible.
And yet, the connection remains.
Every time we return, the welcome is warm. They remember. And we remember.
A Culture Worth Preserving
Inga Aponte is not just a coffee producer. It is a community with deep roots. Descendants of the Inca, with their own language and traditions.
During the 2025 visit, work began on mapping their cultural heritage. This is a step toward ensuring that their story is not lost. That it is preserved and understood.
Coffee People’s contribution is small, but meaningful. We buy their coffee through direct trade. We pay a fair price. And we share their story.
In Estonia and beyond.
More Than Coffee
This story is not only about coffee. It is about trust. Courage. Choices.
It is about how a single encounter can change the direction of an entire community. And how that same encounter can change you as well.
The world is big. But sometimes the road leads you back to the same place.
Inga Aponte is one of those places.
And we are grateful that this connection exists.