In honor of International Women’s Month in 2023, we donated a fermentation tank to Soledad Peña, the producer behind our Women in Coffee edition, Las Flores, as part of our ongoing initiative to continue investing in and empowering women in coffee-producing communities.

Soledad Peña is part of a successful coffee-growing family in Santander, in the northern part of Colombia. Her small farm sits within a large family-owned hacienda where each sibling tends to a different plot. Founder and president of the local coffee association Asoprocafé Especiales de Santander, Soledad is a leader in her community and an example of how ambition and a remarkable amount of care throughout the coffee production process can lead to outstanding results.

After conducting a diagnostic alongside Soledad and her team, we purchased and helped install a new fermentation tank identified as one of the association’s most important needs for improving coffee quality and consistency.

One of the most critical stages in coffee flavor development happens after the cherry is picked during fermentation. After the coffee cherry is pulped, the beans, still covered in mucilage, are left to ferment while natural microorganisms break down sugars and organic compounds. This stage influences everything from sweetness and clarity to acidity and overall balance in the cup.

The new fermentation tank allows for greater control over time and temperature throughout this process, helping improve consistency and reliability in coffee production over time. This kind of infrastructure plays a fundamental role in quality-focused coffee production and creates the conditions needed for producers to refine and replicate exceptional flavor profiles more precisely.

Beyond the technical impact, this investment reflects something broader about the kind of work we believe in supporting. Through Asoprocafé Especiales de Santander, Soledad works closely with producers across her network to elevate quality standards, connect farmers, and strengthen specialty coffee production throughout the region. Supporting her work also means supporting a wider ecosystem of coffee-growing families and producers.

At Devoción, our commitment to coffee goes beyond the final cup. Initiatives like this are one small part of our ongoing mission to empower women in coffee and support the long-term future of coffee-producing communities across Colombia.