📊 Juan Valdez

No challenge could hold Colombian coffee back from global recognition and success.

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☕ Coffee

In 1927, the National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers (NFCGC) was established to promote the production and exportation of Colombian coffee.

The timing was unfortunate, to say the least: two years later, the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange sent prices spiraling for worldwide commodities like coffee. In the following decades, the federation faced an uphill battle, working tenaciously to provide technical support and professional guidance to its members.

By 1957, despite years of arduous work and noteworthy progress, Colombian coffee wasn't considered a premium product. So the federation conjured up the most potent tool to bring a product to the masses: a compelling story.

The following year, sporting sandals and a faithful donkey, Juan Valdez's character was born. He represented the small farmers of Colombia's mountains, ready to prove to the world that their country's coffee was the best there was. The Juan Valdez brand is now known the world over and is a textbook example of a successful marketing campaign.

Juan Valdez Coffee Shops: From 1 to Almost 600 in 20 Years