A smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a yellow T-shirt, standing outdoors with lush green hills and mountains in the background.

Jorge Rojas

Jorge Elias Rojas Vásquez was only 12 years old when he lost his father — and stepped into a life shaped by the land. Alongside his mother, he began working the family’s coffee farm in the highlands of Planadas, Tolima. By the third grade, he left school and dedicated himself fully to coffee. What he may have left in formal education, he gained tenfold in wisdom, intuition, and a relentless passion for excellence.

Today, Jorge is one of the few producers in Colombia cultivating 100% organic specialty coffee of the highest quality.

Origin: Planadas, Tolima, Colombia

Altitude: 1.890 msnm

Varieties: Geisha, Castillo, Caturra, Varidad Colombia

Drying beans spread out on black mats inside a shelter with a tin roof and supporting wooden beams.

Jorge’s approach to coffee is deeply hands-on, methodical, and grounded in both tradition and curiosity. Each step — from harvest to drying — is guided by experience, intention, and a desire to improve with every season.

Stacked blue plastic barrels on a black surface outdoors with green vegetation in the background, supported by a bamboo frame.

Fermentation with Finesse

Once harvested, the coffee undergoes a 48-hour aerobic oxidation fermentation — a slight extension of the traditional Colombian method. The cherries rest in open tanks where controlled airflow supports microbial activity and flavor development. Because of the farm's high altitude (1,850 masl), the ambient temperature remains low, preventing excessive heat buildup. This helps preserve the coffee’s structure while enhancing clarity and complexity in the cup.

A person in a red jacket and gray cap pointing towards the distant green mountains, standing amidst lush green foliage in a hilly landscape under a cloudy sky.

Close-up of a coffee plant with clusters of ripening red and green coffee cherries among dark green leaves.

Lush green hillside with dense tea or coffee plantations on terraced slopes surrounded by tropical trees under a cloudy sky.

Selective Harvesting

Only the ripest cherries are picked, often over several passes through the trees to ensure optimal maturity. The harvest begins in January, when sugar concentration and fruit development reach their peak.

Close-up of a coffee plant with yellow and green coffee cherries on branches.

Where Mountains Shape Coffee and Character

Nestled in the southern Andes of Colombia, Planadas, Tolima is a region shaped by altitude, volcanoes, and an unshakable sense of community. Sitting between 1,500 and 2,100 meters above sea level, the area’s dramatic terrain and rich volcanic soils create a perfect environment for cultivating high-quality Arabica coffee. But coffee is only part of the story.

Tolima is also known for its deep-rooted agricultural traditions, from maize and beans to cacao and sugarcane. Farms are typically small, family-owned, and passed down through generations — woven into the social fabric of the region.

The landscape itself is lush and diverse, with forested hillsides, cool mountain air, and abundant freshwater sources feeding both crops and ecosystems. Biodiversity thrives here, and many farmers, like Jorge, follow ecological farming practices that preserve the natural balance.

A close-up of a coffee cherry cluster on a branch showing green, yellow, and red cherries among green leaves.

Our Connection – Why Jorge, Why Kolombia

At Kolombia, we don’t just source coffee — we build partnerships rooted in trust, shared values, and long-term growth. Jorge Rojas represents everything we believe in: a deep connection to land, an obsession with quality, and a commitment to community-based progress.

Our collaboration with Jorge is not transactional — it’s developmental. We work side by side on fermentation techniques, post-harvest processes, quality control, and storytelling — all to help elevate his coffee and expand the impact of his work. Together, we invest in better tools, education, and visibility so that Jorge’s coffee not only reaches new markets but also earns the recognition it deserves.