On the coffee plantations

During their stay, the group met the farmers’ families, helped with the coffee harvest and learnt to recognise the ripest cherries that contain the best beans. They also saw the various stages in the coffee transformation process and visited the areas where Lavazza Foundation and local agronomists, in collaboration with our Group, are funding projects that support farmers’ families, making plantations more sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms.

Planting to the beat of salsa

Our group of Ambassadors practised selecting the washed and dried coffee beans by hand, checking their colour, size and any defects. It’s hard work, but alleviated by the salsa soundtrack that accompanied them wherever they went. Another great moment was when the members of the group helped plant some fruit trees. Every year, Lavazza Foundation donates thousands of them to give farmers an additional source of income and mitigate the effects of climate change by increasing the shade around the smaller coffee plants as they grow. At the end of the day, the group was invited into one of the families’ homes, where everyone tasted the local coffee together and danced to the rhythm of the inevitable salsa.

Medellín

Our trip comes to an end in Medellín, known as the “city of eternal spring” because of its mild climate. Once regarded as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, today it’s a bustling, cosmopolitan metropolis. One of the visits organised was to Comuna 13, the district that symbolises this transformation and is now one of the city’s main attractions thanks to the kaleidoscope of colourful graffiti that adorn the streets.  A sort of open-air art gallery, where every mural tells a story of change and hope.