Tolima Women's

About the Coffee

Tolima Women's comes from 84 women coffee producers in Chaparral, a municipality in Tolima, Colombia. They organize through Asociación Ecoterra SAS, an initiative built to open economic opportunities for women in coffee, improve their access to markets, and keep each lot traceable. Their farms sit between 1,450 and 2,180 meters above sea level.

Each producer follows the same harvesting and processing protocols. Ripe cherries are picked selectively and sorted by hand. The coffee is then fully washed (the fruit is removed before drying) and dried in the sun.

About Transcend

Poul Mark left a career in law and opened Transcend in Edmonton in July 2006, as a coffee bar and roastery in an industrial area. In 2017 Transcend opened a café and roastery in Ritchie Market, a building Mark helped develop with Greg Zeschuk. In 2025 Mark took over as lead roaster again.

After his first trip to origin, to Panama in 2008, Mark committed Transcend to buying all its coffee through direct trade. Much of that buying happens in Costa Rica, through long-time partner Francisco Mena of Exclusive Coffees, who works with independent farmers processing their own coffee at micro-mills. Mark said in 2025 that Transcend has bought from Costa Rican producer Ricardo Pérez for 15 years.

"Transcend is finally part of our lineup! If you're from Edmonton, you might recognize Transcend as one of the pioneers of the third wave coffee scene there. Headed by Poul Mark (Canada's 2nd ever Q grader), Transcend is one of few roasters that has relationships that span decades; we expect Poul & team's dedication to the craft shines through in these coffees."

- Dean, Director of Coffee