Colombian Coffees

The Jesuits brought coffee to Colombia in 1723. It took a while for its production to be commercialized, but when it did, coffee accounted for more than half of the country's exports. Marketing played a central role in this transformation, with the creation of the Juan Valdez mystique as the face of the Colombian coffee industry. This farmer and mule image was conjured up in 1958 and continues to appear in advertisements and on bags of Colombian coffee. Juan Valzed is a recognizable figure, especially in the United States, lending prestige and allure to Colombian coffee and helping the country maintain its position as one of the largest producers of coffee in the world.