Angel Ortega is a second-generation coffee grower from San Agustín, Huila, who has been cultivating coffee since his teenage years. He started working alongside his father and brother, Augusto Ortega, tending to a plot of 700 coffee trees. In 1985, at the age of 24, he ventured out on his own and planted a new lot of 10,000 trees of he Colombia variety. In 2018, Don Angel achieved his first micro-lot sale of coffee under his own name. However, he often felt disconnected from his roaster clients and the importers who purchased his coffees. That is why he brought his lots to Monkaaba and Semilla, who are commited to paying him the highest prices he has ever received, upfront and without delay, as well as maintaining close contact with him regarding the final destination of his coffee. He hopes to continue improving the quality of his coffee year after year.
Gesha has gained popularity in San Agustin over the past 5 to 6 years, prompting many in the Monkaaba group to plant it as they aim for diverse, high-quality coffee offerings that distinguish them from average growers. While heirloom varieties like Sidra and Gesha are exciting and have deep roots in Ethiopia, they are challenging for smallholders to manage and profit from. Although Angel has achieved high harvest volumes from his Gesha trees, these varieties take at least three years to bear fruit. This makes investing in them risky for smallholders, as it requires sacrificing productive land for the chance of higher prices.
