Café de la Montaña
"Enjoy the Best Coffee in the World"
Our History
1895
Benjamin Martinez Henao arrived to the area around the towns of Jericho in 1870 and began traveling to the towns of Bethsaida (now Pueblo Rico) and Quebrada Larga (now Tarso) by bridle path. As a businessman he worked hard selling his products and in 1895 he was able to purchase 400 hectareas (960 acres) of land between Jericho and Tarso called La Quiebra.
La Germania Estate, 1934
La Germania Estate, 1955
Benjamin Martinez Henao
Later on Benjamin Martinez bought Santa Cruz which had 600 hectareas (1440 acres) of adjacent land to La Quiebra and he changed the name of both La Quiebra and Santa Cruz to La Germania, totaling 1,000 hectareas (2400 acres). Thereafter, the La Germania Estate belonged to the Martinez family for over 100 years.
La Linda Estate
Federico Gomez Zuluaga
In 1890, from the town of Marinilla, Federico Gomez moved to the town of Jericho and was a community leader, doctor, politician and statesman. In 1930, he purchased La Linda Estate with 500 hectares (1,200 acres), which was a very large coffee producer in the region for many decades. La Linda Estate is adjacent property to La Germania Estate. Federico Gomez later became president of the Senate of the Republic of Colombia.
Federico Gomez Lemus
In 1940, Federico Gomez Lemus purchased Las Camelias Estate with 2,800 hectareas (6,720 acres) and primarily raised cattle which he imported from United States, but he also produced significant amounts of coffee. In 1969, Federico was invited to stand in as a substitute member of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC). Later, his sons Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao and Jorge Gomez Henao began to massively seed Las Camelias Estate with Pajarito and Bourbon varieties of coffee. In the 1960’s Las Camellias Estate served as a model coffee plantation for the FNC.
Federico Gomez Zuluaga
Federico Gomez Lemus
Las Camelias Estate
Las Camelias Estate
Congreso de Cafeteros 1927
Las Camelias Estate was adjacent property to La Linda Estate. Today, Las Camellias has been divided into six different estates all of which produce coffee. Federico also owned Piamonte, Jamaica, and Borinquen Estates all of which were very large and important cattle producing estates.
The marriage of Mariangela Puerta Martinez and Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao brought two of the oldest coffee producing families in Colombia together.
Mariangela Puerta de Gomez
Mariangela is the granddaughter of Benjamin Martinez Henao creator of La Germania Estate and the daughter of Judith Martinez and Jose Puerta who were owners of the cattle farm Borrachero outside the town of Jerico and the cattle farm La Isla outside the town of Tarso. Her father, Jose Puerta built Clinica Medellin, which is still today one of the most important medical clinics in Medellin.
Mariangela studied school at La Enseñanza in Medellin and then was sent by her parents to finish her high school in New York in the United States. Upon her return to Colombia, she married Gabriel Gomez and had four children, Angela Maria, Gabriel Jaime, Luz Beatriz Maryana, and Jorge Andres. Mariangela is recognized for her wisdom and patience. Mariangela now acts as Director of Coffee Grower Resources on behalf of the coffee producers for Café de la Montaña.
Mariangela Puerta de Gomez
Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao
Gabriel is the son of Elvira Henao Martinez and Federico Gomez Lemus, Gabriel de Jesus Gomez attend school in San Ignacio in Medellin. Gabriel soon learned from his father Federico Gomez Lemus and grandfather Dr. Federico Gomez Zuluaga the love for coffee and dedication to work. In 1950 Gabriel began to manage his father’s coffee estate, Las Camelias which was one of the major coffee producers in Antioquia.
Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao
San Jose Estate, 1970
Beginning his long career in coffee, Gabriel introduced the Caturra variety in the southwest of Antioquia. Later, Las Camellias Estate served as a model coffee plantation for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC). In 1957, Gabriel bought San Jose Estate, 45 hectareas (108 acres) from his father. San Jose Estate was part of La Linda Estate owned by Gabriel’s grandfather.
Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao overlooking San Jose Estate
Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao
examining his coffee trees
San Jose Estate, 1970
In 1958 Gabriel married Mariangela Puerta Martinez and they moved to San Jose Estate where Gabriel devoted himself to producing coffee and became one of the most profoundly influential coffee pioneers in Colombia. Later, in the 1970’s, San Jose Estate also served as a model coffee plantation for the FNC. Today, San Jose Estate is home base for Café de la Montaña.
Congreso de Cafeteros, 1973
Gabriel Gomez Henao, second from right
Congreso de Cafeteros, 1980
Gabriel Gomez Henao, bottom, third from right
In 1968, Gabriel Gomez was invited to be a member of the FNC by the current president of the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Antioquia, Luis Ignacio Munera. The Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Antioquia is a department belonging to the FNC. The FNC owns Juan Valdez coffee, which is one of the most recognized brands in the world. The FNC works directly with over 500,000 coffee producers, with great presence in the coffee regions of Colombia, as well as in the global coffee industry.
The top principles of Coffee in Antioquia gift a modernized parchment mill in Medellin. Gabriel Gomez third from left.
Gabriel Gomez Henao as president of the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Antioquia participates in the signing of the contract which allocated 57 million pesos for road works in Antioquia
As a member of the FNC, Gabriel soon became an important leader for his community by helping the coffee farmers with water, sewer, electricity, loans, schools and hospitals. Above all, Gabriel gave affection and friendship to many coffee farmers in Antioquia in difficult times. Gabriel Gomez later became president of the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Antioquia for several decades. Throughout his career with the FNC, Gabriel Gomez received several awards for his work. One important award, “The Medal of Merit of Antioquia” was given to Gabriel in 1997 by the FNC on their 70th anniversary.
In addition to his work with the FNC, Gabriel was also invited to be a principle member of the "El Banco Cafetero" (The Bank of the Coffee Growers). El Banco Cafetero later became part of Banco Davivienda S.A. This banking and financial institution was created with the purpose of facilitating and financing the production, harvesting, processing, transport and exporting of coffee and other agricultural products.
The Coffee Merit Medal of Antioquia
The Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Antioquia
Considering:
A. That the Coffee Medal of Merit of Antioquia was instituted to reward those who have distinguished themselves by their commitment to the coffee activity and through their coffee service to the Guild farmer, and to the coffee industry and community.
B. That Mr. Gabriel Gomez Henao, throughout his life he served as a coffee producer, standing out for his dedication, selfless service to the coffee cause, union fervor and as a leader in his region and municipality.
Resolve:
Article 1. Grant Mr. Gabriel Gomez Henao "The Coffee Merit Medal of Antioquia"
Article 2. Imposing this award on June 27, 1997, "Trade Union Act, with which Antioquia commemorates the 70th anniversary of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia,
Article 3. Style Note transcribing this resolution to Mr. Gabriel Gomez Henao and his family.
Given in Medellin on June 10, 1997
Juan Francisco Suarez Moreno Diego de Bedout Gutierrez President Executive Director
A Translation of the Coffee Merit Medal (Right)
The son of Mariangela Puerta Martinez and Gabriel de Jesus Gomez Henao, Gabriel Jaime Gomez Puerta attended high school at San Jose in Medellin. After finishing high school, Gabriel Jaime attended several semesters at EAFIT in Medellin studying in Business Administration, but the taste for the countryside and the great love and admiration for his father motivated him to leave the city and move back to his father’s coffee farm, San Jose Estate.
After spending two years working, learning, and enjoying his father’s beautiful coffee farm, Gabriel Jamie went to study at the Manuel Mejia Foundation in Chinchina in 1981. The Manuel Mejia Foundation is an entity of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) and is responsible for formulating and implementing policies strategies and education programs for the rural Colombian coffee sector.
Gabriel Jaime Gomez Puerta
After training for one year at Manuel Mejia Foundation, Gabriel Jamie returned to his father's coffee farm, San Jose Estate. Shortly after arriving back at San Jose Estate, he soon obtained a job at Almacafé, a division of the FNC.
After working for 4 years at Almacafé (almacafe.com.co/), Gabriel Jamie returned again to his father's coffee farm, San Jose Estate, to demonstrate his extensive knowledge of coffee production. His father was so impressed with his son’s knowledge and enthusiasm of coffee production he allowed his son to manage his coffee farm. Gabriel Jamie immediately went to work by dividing San Jose Estate into micro-lots, performing soil tests, analyzing fertilizer, planting new varieties of coffee, and modernizing the coffee processing systems.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Gabriel Jaime has become a leader in his community by helping other coffee farmers. In 2001, Gabriel Jaime Gómez's hand did not even tremble when he put up his farm as collateral as a co-signer for a loan of seventy-five thousand dollars (150 million pesos) at the Agrarian Bank to save 50 coffee-growing families farms in the area surrounding the town of Tarso. Today, Gabriel Jaime serves as President of Café de la Montaña.
Gabriel Jaime Gomez Puerta
San Jose Estate, 2001
Gabriel Jaime Gomez Puerta showing
off his coffee plant
Luz Beatriz Maryana Gomez Puerta
The daughter of Mariangela and Gabriel, Luz Beatriz Maryana attended high school at La Providencia in Medellin. Lived in Utah for a few months as an exchange student and later, upon finishing high school, her parents sent her to study in Boston, USA. But her love and attachment to her family and her land, made her come back to Colombia. She then lived on San Andres Island for a few years. She returned to the United States where she continues her education and serves as Vice President of Café de la Montaña. With a desire to export her family’s coffee to the world, she feels extremely proud to carry on her family’s 100 year old coffee tradition. Her passion and love for her people, her land and coffee make her the voice for projects which seek benefits for every coffee grower and their families.
Luz Beatriz Maryana Gomez Puerta
Thomas Joseph Lynch is a businessman from San Diego, California. He graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Thomas later attended Western State University College of Law in San Diego. Thomas is known for his business savvy and specializes in developing, implementing, and managing innovative businesses from their genesis to an operational and sustainable level. Thomas is currently the chief operating officer at Café de la Montaña.
In 2005, Thomas married Luz Beatriz Maryana Gomez Puerta and she invited him to Colombia to meet her family, and visit the beautiful country along with her family’s coffee estates. Over the years, Thomas would always bring back small amounts of coffee from these estates for his personal use and to share with family and friends. From his first cup, Thomas recognized the potential of the coffee.
Thomas Lynch
Thomas Joseph Lynch
Thomas and the team have been working with coffee experts to better understand the true potential of their estates. By integrating specialty coffee standards into the harvest and post-harvest processes, along with the production of an SCAA compliant cupping laboratory, their estates now have more integrated quality control and will continue to evolve with the coming harvests.
