A question that people often ask me is, can you send coffee by mail from Colombia? And they rarely like the answer I give them. The quick answer to this question is no, you cannot send coffee to or from Colombia by mail unless you have a license that allows you to export or import coffee.
But why? And how can you still buy and transport Colombian coffee? Let’s get into the details. In this article I will cover:
- Why you can’t send coffee by mail from Colombia
- Can you send coffee by mail to Colombia?
- Is the coffee I buy in Colombia from Colombia?
- Why do Colombians drink more imported coffee than Colombian coffee?
- How can I be sure to buy 100% Colombian coffee?
- Can I travel with Colombian coffee in my luggage?
- How can I export coffee from Colombia?
Do you have other quesitons about coffee in Colombia? Check out our Colombian Coffee Guide.
Why you can’t send coffee by mail from Colombia
The coffee industry in Colombia is strictly protected. Colombian coffee has a good reputation around the world, and the government and the coffee industry want to maintain that reputation. That’s why they impose strict controls on what coffee can be exported and the quality of that coffee.
What are some of those controls? For one thing, coffee exported from Colombia has to be Colombian coffee. While that might sound odd, I explain why that could be an issue later in this article under the subheading Is the coffee I buy in Colombia from Colombia?
Also, the quality of the coffee has to be evaluated. On the one hand, the authorities have to make sure that any green, unroasted coffee is free of pests that could damage crops in other countries. On the other hand, the industry wants to be sure that all coffee from Colombia is high quality and won’t damage the good reputation of Colombian coffee.
The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia evaluates green, unroasted coffee for size, appearance, and selection process. It also checks the humidity content, number of defects, presence of insects, smell, color, and cupping score.
When it comes to roasted coffee, the rules are a bit less strict because there’s less of a phytosanitary threat. After all, with roasted coffee there’s less of a chance that it has pests. But the coffee is still checked for defects in flavors and smells, and the packaging must adequately conserve the quality of the coffee beans. If you’d like to learn more about coffee tasting, take a look at our specialty coffee workshops.
Besides all the quality issues I mentioned, all coffee that is exported from Colombia gets taxed. So exporters have to pay an export tax, called the contribución cafetera.
As you can see, there’s a lot involved with getting Colombian coffee out of the country. If you’d like to learn more about how to export coffee from Colombia, check out our Export Coffee from Colombia article.
Want to learn more about coffee in Colombia? Join us for a coffee workshop!
Can you send coffee by mail to Colombia?
As you might guess, the answer to this question is also no. You cannot send coffee by mail to Colombia, since coffee exported into Colombia is also strictly controlled. Let’s see why.
In the case of green coffee, you can’t send coffee by mail to Colombia to ensure that no agricultural pests are introduced into the country.
In the case of roasted coffee, the coffee industry closely supervises all coffee sold in Colombia. At the time this article was published, importing roasted coffee to Colombia was not freely allowed.
In fact, at the majority of coffee shops in Colombia you can’t even purchase coffee bags that are marked as being produced in other countries.
If you visit a specialty coffee shop in Colombia, you won’t find a vast selection of coffee from many coffee-producing countries. You will find a vast array of coffees from regions around Colombia.
But that doesn’t mean that the coffee you’ll drink in Colombia is actually from Colombia. Let’s talk about where the coffee you drink in Colombia might actually be from.
Would you like to learn more about coffee in Latin America? I’m Karen Attman, coffee professor and author. I have online coffee courses that can help you learn the fundamentals of coffee in record time. To get an idea of what’s involved with growing and processing coffee, check out From Coffee Plant to Your Coffee Cup.
Is the coffee I buy in Colombia from Colombia?
Not necessarily.
Yes, it is quite possible that you could visit Colombia and not drink coffee from Colombia.
While Colombia exports large amounts of coffee, they also import large amounts. According to Bloomberg, in 2020 Colombia imported 63,451 tons of coffee. In 2021, by September they had imported 73,780 tons of coffee at a cost of US $131.5 million. That makes Colombia a major importer of coffee.
Where do they bring coffee from? At the time this article was written, mostly from Brazil and Peru. But Colombia also imports coffee from Ecuador. Yes, Colombia produces great coffee, but Colombians usually drink inferior coffee from other countries.
So yes, the coffee you buy in Colombia is not necessarily 100% Colombian coffee. Check the packaging carefully before buying coffee for souvenirs. If it says it’s 100% Colombian coffee, then it is. But if the bag simply says it’s packaged in Colombia, you know you’ve got coffee from another country in your hands.
Why do Colombians drink more imported coffee than Colombian coffee?
It all comes down to the economics of a good cup of coffee. In Europe, North America, and Asia, people are willing to pay higher prices for coffee. Within Colombia the dynamics of good coffee changes. Both the buying power of individuals, as well as tradition, guides people to buy the cheapest beans.
In the past, all good quality coffee was exported from Colombia. Since many Colombians couldn’t pay the price of high-quality coffee, they wound up drinking what’s known as pasilla, which is inferior coffee with defects.
In fact, in the past most companies in Colombia rarely bought, roasted or sold high-quality coffee in Colombia. The good quality coffee was exported, and Colombians were left with the lower quality coffee with defects. This coffee was roasted dark to mask the unpleasant flavors (or made into instant coffee) and sold on the local market. For many Colombians today, this dark-roasted inferior-quality coffee is the “flavor of Colombia.”
Change came about slowly, but by the early 2000s Colombian companies started roasting and selling high-quality coffee within the country. Now you can find many coffee shops at different economic levels that sell 100% Colombian coffee. Check out some of our favorite specialty coffee shops in Bogota.
But the fact remains that high-quality coffee comes with higher prices. That’s good for the coffee farmer, who has a better chance to make a living wage. For many people, though, those high prices just aren’t within the weekly budget. There are plenty of coffee brands in corner stores and supermarkets that sell less expensive coffee, but much of that coffee is not from Colombia, as I mentioned in the last subheading.
Who imports lower-quality coffee from other countries? Mostly big brands that you’ll see in the supermarket, including Colcafe, Nescafe, and Lukafe. Also, lots of imported coffee is destined for the instant coffee market, which is rarely made with quality beans. That’s just another reason not to drink instant coffee.
If you’re looking for amazing coffee in Colombia, take a look at our specialty coffee workshops.
How can I be sure to buy 100% Colombian coffee?
Although as much as half of the coffee sold in Colombia is not grown in Colombia, you can still be sure that you’re buying Colombian coffee. Simply take a look at the coffee bag. It’ll say one of two things:
- If it says 100% Colombian coffee, it is.
- If it says 100% packaged in Colombia, you’ll be drinking at least some imported beans.
How can I buy Colombian coffee in my country?
Many coffee shops around the world sell Colombian coffee. Check your local shops, or take a look at online options that provide shipping.
Can I travel with Colombian coffee in my luggage?
Yes, you can travel with Colombian coffee in your luggage when entering or leaving Colombia. I’ve taken many many bags of coffee in my suitcases over the years. Just be aware that some airlines impose limits on the ground coffee that you can take in your carryon luggage (as little as 250 g of ground coffee).
And check the laws in the country you’re traveling to. Make sure they allow you to enter the country with coffee, whether roasted or green (unroasted). Also, check the quantities they allow and the procedures for entering the country (this usually applies to unroasted coffee).
If you’d like to know where you can buy good coffee when in Colombia, check out our Colombian Coffee Guide.
How can I export coffee from Colombia?
If you’d like to start exporting coffee from Colombia, check out our full article on how to export coffee from Colombia. But here are four key points:
Step #1
Register as an exporter
Step #2
Set up your export with the FNC
Step #3
Determine how you’ll ship your coffee
Step #4
To export coffee, follow this key regulation
Colombian Coffee FAQ
If you’re wondering about the following coffee questions, check out our Colombian Coffee Guide that covers these topics:
- What does Colombian coffee taste like?
- How do Colombians brew coffee?
- How do Colombians drink coffee?
- How do I order a coffee in Colombia?
- Is tinto good coffee?
- What is Juan Valdez?
- Where can I buy Juan Valdez coffee?
- Is Juan Valdez coffee good?
- What are the Colombian coffee-growing regions?
- What is panela?
- What makes a good Colombian coffee souvenir?
- Is Colombian coffee good?
- Is Colombian coffee expensive?
- Should I buy Colombian coffee in a supermarket?
- What coffee shops should I visit in Bogota?
- How can I learn more about Colombian coffee?
- What are coffee-growing regions?
- What is the best coffee-growing region to visit in Colombia?
- Should I slurp Colombian coffee?
- How can I help coffee growers make a decent living?
Would you like to learn more about coffee in Latin America? Check out our online coffee courses that can help you learn the fundamentals of coffee in record time. To get an idea of what’s involved with growing and processing coffee, check out From Coffee Plant to Your Coffee Cup. If you want to learn to evaluate and discuss coffee quality the way professional coffee tasters do, check out Taste Coffee like a Pro.
