Jairo Arcila, a third-generation coffee grower from Quindio, Colombia, is married to Luz Helena Salazar. Together, they have two children, Carlos and Felipe Arcila, who co-founded Cofinet. Jairo bought his first coffee farm, Finca La Esmeralda, in 1987 where he planted his first Caturra lot. He was fortunate enough to earn money by producing coffee on his farm in addition to working full time. He in fact worked as a mill manager for over 40 years at Colombia's second largest exporter until his retirement in 2019. All the while, he invested countless hours of hard work and dedication into tending to his coffee plants, carefully nurturing them through each stage of growth, a labour of love that he took great pride in.
With his savings, Jairo gradually acquired five more farms. After Esmeralda came Villarazo, Mazatlan, Santa Monica, Maracay and then Buenos Aires. Throughout the harvest season, Jairo offers numerous job opportunities to locals, which has a significant positive economic impact on the local community.
Jairo's sons Carlos and Felipe are experts in specialty coffee, providing valuable advice and guidance. With their very capable assistance, Jairo has significantly enhanced the picking, sorting, and processing of his coffees. His sons have also guided Jairo in the production of exotic varieties. He now grows varieties like Pink Bourbon, Java, Papayo and Gesha across all his farms. The mentoring from his sons has empowered Jairo and equipped him with the necessary tools to create exceptional coffees with incredible flavour profiles.
Apart from coffee, Jairo cultivates various agricultural products like mandarin, orange, plantain, and banana on his farms. Jairo loves beginning his day with a really good breakfast, undoubtedly paired with some of his own exceptional coffee. Above all, he cherishes spending quality time with his family.