Nariño

About the Coffee

Huellas de Encanto is a group of 30 women producers farming in four municipalities across Nariño, Colombia: La Unión, Cartago, Génova, and San Lorenzo. Each producer works a small plot of just a few acres. They organized through the Association of Ecoterra specifically to access international markets, which individual smallholders can't easily do on their own. Each community has its own leader, and together they produce a traceable community blend that carries a distinct regional character from the Nariño highlands.

The processing is careful and consistent across all 30 farms. During harvest, cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness, then sorted and floated to remove damaged or underdeveloped beans before depulping. Fermentation happens in sealed containers for up to 72 hours, which creates a controlled environment and slows the process down compared to open-air fermentation. After fermentation, the parchment-covered seeds are washed and dried slowly on patios or raised beds to around 11% moisture. An export company called Mastercol handles warehousing and milling for export, which reduces logistical barriers and lets more of the revenue flow back to the producers.

Nariño sits in Colombia's southwest, bordering Ecuador, and produces coffee at elevations that slow cherry development and concentrate flavor. The fact that this lot is traceable to a specific group of named producers in specific municipalities is meaningful: it gives the women more leverage to reinvest in their farms and build more stable incomes over time.

About Alternate Route

Alternate Route Coffee Co. was started by Ian and Kellie Wahl, a husband-and-wife team based in Alberta. They built the company from the ground up, starting with a roastery on wheels before eventually setting up a permanent space near the Edmonton International Airport. The operation has since grown to include a small coffee bar, retail space, and a tasting room used for brewing and cupping events.

The roastery today is women-run, women-roasted, and majority women-owned. Kellie Wahl leads the business alongside Head Roaster Corie Sackville. They roast on a Probat P12, a German-made drum roaster known for consistency, and work in small batches to keep a close eye on each lot. Their sourcing focuses on specific growing regions, and they prioritize relationships with producers who maintain quality standards at the farm level.

"Alternate Route is the first women-owned and operated roaster we've featured, and this month I'm proud to announce every Alternate Route coffee we're featuring is sourced from women coffee producers. I'm particularly excited to share their coffee from Huila, Colombia with you - this is one of my favourite balanced coffees this year."

- Dean, Director of Coffee