The coffee producing areas of the Cauca region of Colombia are lush with rainfall, cloud cover, and soil conditions ideal for coffee cultivation. Dense clouds form from the Pacific and release heavy rainfall over the Cauca valley that averages 80 inches yearly. A cool mountainous climate prolongs the development of the Popayán's coffee cherry which deepens the berry flavor absorbed by its seed, or coffee bean. This flavor is accentuated during the fermentation stage when the defruited bean is processed.

Third behind Brazil and Vietnam in coffee production, Colombian coffee doubtless owns the world's most familiar coffee origin due to the enormously successful promotional campaign the country mounted years ago. Coffee grows throughout Colombia at altitudes ranging from 4,000 to over 6,000 feet.

Colombia harvests the world's largest quantity of specialty-grade coffees which are typically high-grown, hand-sorted, and wet-processed (washed). It is the only South American coffee producer with both Atlantic and Pacific ports, affording the country a distinct shipping advantage. Coffee is so central to its economy that cars seeking to enter the country must first be sprayed for harmful bacteria.