About Us

Recolecta imports green coffee directly from Colombian farms to Switzerland. After careful quality control, each batch is roasted according to a profile crafted to highlight its best attributes. Following a resting period, the coffee is packed and sent to its final destination: your cup.

Sustainably
Grown

Our coffee is sourced from farms that prioritize environmental and social responsibility.

Carefully Handpicked

Each bean is selected at peak ripeness to ensure the highest quality and flavor.

Meticulously
Roasted

We roast in small batches to highlight the unique profile of every origin.

Behind Recolecta Specialty Coffee

 

Hi! It’s a pleasure to meet you! We are Angela and Juan, the couple behind Recolecta Specialty Coffee.

We are both Colombian, both business administrators and both very passionate about coffee, wine and food.

We are working together in this beautiful coffee adventure convinced that the differences of our personal and professional attributes fit perfectly, creating an interesting business model.

Angela has a background in finance and gastronomy with experience in the coffee industry, both in the production and commercial sides and, as a barista. She is passionate, flexible, sensitive and positive and she has found in Recolecta Specialty Coffee the reason in which to invest all her efforts. She drinks coffee every single day, loves coffee’s versatility and has realized that coffee is a synonym of fun.

Juan has a background in Finance with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. He was the genius mind behind the idea to start a coffee project in Switzerland. Juan is curious, determined, disciplined and a perfectionist. He drinks coffee every day and has made all his bet in Recolecta Specialty Coffee.

Coffee processing

Coffee Growing

1. The seed

The coffee process begins with the sowing of the seed in sand. This seed will germinate and become a small plant known as “chapola”. After a couple of months, the chapola is transferred to a bag where it will continue to grow until it becomes strong enough to be planted in the field.

2. The field

After 2 to 4 months in the bag, the coffee plant is ready to be moved to the field. Once planted, it can take up to 2 years to give its first harvest.The coffee tree will be productive for 6 more years until it is cut or replaced by a new one.

3. Blooming

Before the coffee tree produces beans, it blooms. Flowering happens as a survival mechanism of the tree when facing intense drought.This beautiful white flower only remains for a few days and after it falls, a bean sprouts. The beans continue their evolution process for around 9 months until they are fully developed.

4. Recolecta

After approximately 9 months the coffee beans will have reached their full development. Then begins the most important stage of the entire coffee process: “La Recolecta”.Recolecta is a word in Spanish that means gathering the fruits of a harvest. Coffee is hand-picked at a very precise moment of ripening. The final product completely relies on the expertise of collectors.

5. Process

After being hand-picked, coffee is processed at origin. The three main methods are washed, honey and natural.Washed: The cherry is removed, the beans ferment for 18–24 hours, then are washed and dried. The result is a clean cup with clarity and bright acidity.Honey / Semi-washed: The cherry is removed and the beans dry with some mucilage still attached. Fermentation during drying enhances ripe fruit notes and sweetness.Natural: The coffee dries with the cherry intact. This longer fermentation produces a sweeter, fuller and more complex cup.

6. Drying

After processing, coffee enters the drying stage. The two main methods are sun drying and mechanical silos.Sun drying: Common among small growers, beans dry slowly under the sun, often on raised beds, for 6–15 days depending on the coffee and its processing. The gradual reduction of moisture helps preserve quality, with a target final level of 11–12%.Mechanical silos: More typical for medium and large producers, this method uses controlled hot air (45–60°C) to remove moisture more quickly. Drying can be completed in about 36 hours, offering greater consistency and efficiency.

7. Green beans

Once dried and after resting in parchment, the coffee is moved to a dry mill. The dry mill removes the parchment and various degrees of silver skin to reveal the green bean inside.Then, the coffee beans are sorted by size, density and color. Only the beans that meet the highest standards in these categories can continue the process for export or roasting.

8. Roasting

Roasting consists of transforming coffee beans from green to brown, going through the phases of drying stage, browning stage and development stage.Broadly speaking, light roasted coffees have higher acidity and fruit flavors, and dark roasted coffees lean towards bitterness and burnt flavors. Artisanal specialty coffee roasters roast in small batches and always under the control of a master roaster. Each coffee is deeply analyzed, and a roasting curve is defined according to its density, profile and destination. The goal is to develop the potential of each coffee.These are usually medium or light roasts so that the unique notes that differentiate each origin are never lost.

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