Forest Coffee | El Vergel | Colombia

Our Relationship with Forest Coffee & El Vergel

How We Met Shady & Elias

I was fortunate enough to meet Shady & Elias (proprietors of Forest Green and El Vergel) a few years ago at the Conduit in London, while in preparation for a national competition. Getting to sit down with them and chat through all things coffee felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The two had unrivalled passion and expertise, which made me hungry to work with them in a commercial capacity once Harmony began.

About Forest Coffee

Forest Coffee was born out of a desire to unite the coffee-producing community in Colombia. They offer a series of green coffee categories, each of which provides customers with different levels of quality, innovation and social impact:

1. Community Coffees

These coffees highlight the Condor projects in Colima and Huila, aiming to maximise social impact, enhance local coffee quality, and uplift the communities involved. This is where we source our Really Good Decaf Coffee from El Vergel.

2. Microlots

Focused on small-batch production, this category highlights unique profiles from individual producers or small collectives. It is centred around exceptional cup quality and the storytelling behind each lot.

3. Reserve Coffees

A showcase of one-of-a-kind coffees with extraordinary profiles. These lots prioritise luxury, refinement and uncompromising quality.

4. Innovation Series

This category is dedicated to experimental processing, new harvesting methods and creative flavour development. Forest Green is particularly well-known for their Koji inoculation work, trailblazed in partnership with Christopher Feran (blog here) and Kaapo Paavol. We have also featured several Koji–processed coffees from El Vergel in our coffee lineup.

5. Competition Series

A rigorously curated lineup of truly world-class coffees designed for the global competitive stage. I was fortunate enough to secure several of these lots for my own national competition — read more about that here. My experience with El Vergel’s competition lots made me rethink the often-repeated industry assertion that Panama is always the premier origin for Gesha — something I later discussed in my interview with Perfect Daily Grind.

For another variety-focused guide, you can also read our article on Pink Bourbon coffee.

Our Partnership with Forest Coffee

Working with El Vergel and Forest Coffee has made me realise the importance of community within coffee and the social benefits that can be passed along through the supply chain. Their emphasis on innovation, producer upliftment and quality aligns perfectly with our values.

With the help of our sourcing partner and UK Barista Champion 2024, Roosa Jalonen, we've committed to an exciting lineup for the coming year — one that we hope will inspire and delight anyone curious to taste exceptional coffees.

Learn more about our other Green Coffee Partners.

If you're interested in working with us on a wholesale basis, or to feature some of Forest’s coffees – follow this link and drop us a message! You can also subscribe to our decaf coffee subscription here.

FAQ — Forest Coffee & El Vergel

Who are Forest Coffee?

Forest Coffee is a Colombian green coffee sourcing project focused on community upliftment, experimental processing and exceptional cup quality. They also manage the renowned El Vergel Estate.

What makes their coffees unique?

Their coffees are organised into categories — Community, Microlot, Reserve, Innovation and Competition — each with different goals, flavour profiles and producer impacts. Their Innovation Series, particularly Koji processing, has gained global attention.

How did Harmony Coffee begin working with Forest Coffee?

We first met Shady & Elias in London while preparing for a national competition. Their passion and expertise left a deep impression, eventually leading to a commercial partnership once Harmony was founded.

What Forest Coffee lots have we used?

We’ve sourced decaf from El Vergel, multiple Koji-processed coffees, and competition-grade lots which have been used in national competitions. We have also sourced countless Gesha, Sidra, Pink Bourbon, SL28 and Bourbon lots from Forest.

Can Forest Coffee’s offerings be purchased through our wholesale programme?

Yes — if you're interested in featuring some of Forest Coffee’s coffees through our wholesale programme, follow the wholesale link above and drop us a message.

↑ Back to top