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The Story Behind the Academy

Four generations of coffee. One mission: share the knowledge.

Particular Coffee Academy was born in the mountains of Colombia, where our family has been growing specialty coffee for four generations. What started as a simple desire to share our knowledge with the world has become a comprehensive education platform.

Our founder, Santiago Londoño, holds an MSc in Environmental Management from the University of London and has spent over a decade bridging the gap between origin and consumer. Every course in this academy reflects real-world expertise — from the soil science behind exceptional cherry to the business strategy behind a successful coffee brand.

We believe that understanding the full value chain — seed, soil, processing, roasting, cupping, pricing, marketing — is what separates great coffee professionals from the rest. This is not theory. This is four generations of practice, distilled into 64 expert modules.

Authentic pioneers paving their way Auténticos exploradores abriéndose camino

Four generations of a Colombian coffee family — 1883 to today. Every year a decision; every decision a seed; every seed a future. This is the story of how we got here.

  1. 1883–1968 1st Generation

    The Beginning of a Legacy

    Miguel Londoño

    1. 1883

      Miguel Londoño is born. Nace Miguel Londoño.

    2. 1920

      Miguel arrives from old Caldas and Northern Valle del Cauca on the back of a mule — drawn by fertile soil and abundant water in a remote, unpopulated territory. Miguel llega desde el viejo Caldas y el Norte del Valle del Cauca a lomo de mula, atraído por suelos fértiles y aguas abundantes en un territorio remoto y despoblado.

    3. 1932

      First coffee plantation is established on the El Capitolio farm. Se establece la primera plantación de café en la finca El Capitolio.

  2. 1968–1993 2nd Generation

    Roots Deepen

    Fabio Londoño · Alberto Londoño

    1. 1968

      Second generation begins to work in the business. La segunda generación empieza a trabajar en el negocio.

    2. 1981

      New production areas opened in Sevilla, Valle del Cauca. Nuevas áreas de producción en Sevilla, Valle del Cauca.

    3. 1987

      First technical de-pulping facility established in Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca. Primeras instalaciones técnicas de despulpado en Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca.

  3. 1993–2003 3rd Generation

    Specialty Pioneers

    Andrés Felipe Londoño · Olga Lucía Londoño

    1. 1993

      Third generation begins to work in the business. La tercera generación empieza a trabajar en el negocio.

    2. 1995

      AgroCapitolio is founded — the search for added value and differentiated coffees begins. Se funda AgroCapitolio — inicia la búsqueda de valor agregado y cafés diferenciados.

    3. 1999

      First specialty coffee project. Primer proyecto de cafés especiales.

    4. 2003

      First specialty coffee export to Japan. Primera exportación de café especial a Japón.

  4. 2004–presente 4th Generation

    Global Vision

    Santiago Londoño · Martina Hakim Londoño

    1. 2004

      4th generation begins work in the family business — Santiago Londoño. La cuarta generación comienza a trabajar en el negocio — Santiago Londoño.

    2. 2005

      Colombian Mountain Coffee is founded. Se funda Colombian Mountain Coffee.

    3. 2006

      Coffee export license issued by the Colombian Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC). Rain Forest Alliance certification. Licencia de exportación otorgada por la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC). Certificación Rain Forest Alliance.

    4. 2007

      Manantiales del Frontino farm is acquired. Society MDF SAS is created. Se adquiere la finca Manantiales del Frontino. Se crea la Sociedad MDF SAS.

    5. 2010

      CMC starts offering on-board coffee service for airlines. CMC comienza a ofrecer servicio de café a bordo para aerolíneas.

    6. 2011

      Best Coffee of the World award — SCAA. Premio al mejor café del mundo — SCAA.

    7. 2012

      Best Quality Coffee award — Rainforest Alliance. Premio a la mejor calidad de café — Rainforest Alliance.

    8. 2013

      Fourth generation continues to work in the business — Martina Hakim Londoño. La cuarta generación continúa en el negocio — Martina Hakim Londoño.

    9. 2014

      Opening of the Xue Café boutique at El Dorado International Airport. Inauguración de la boutique Xue Café en el Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado.

    10. 2015

      Opening of the Xue Café POP UP (Bogotá). Inauguración del Xue Café POP UP (Bogotá).

    11. 2017

      CQI chooses the farm as a provider of coffee worldwide for Q-processing courses. CQI elige la finca para proveer café a nivel mundial para los cursos Q de procesamiento.

    12. 2018

      1st and 3rd place at the Cup of Excellence. Opening of the Xue store in Armenia. Winner of the cupping contest "Taste of NYC 2018". 1.º y 3.º lugar en la Cup of Excellence. Apertura de la tienda Xue en Armenia. Ganador del concurso de catación "Taste of NYC 2018".

    13. 2019

      The University of Texas Chemical Lab analyses — for the first time ever — compounds from our coffee processed in 8 different ways. El laboratorio de química de la Universidad de Texas analiza por primera vez los compuestos de nuestro café procesado de 8 maneras distintas.

    14. 2020

      "We keep breaking boundaries." A century after our grandfather, we cross borders to bring the legacy of the best coffee to Asia. "Seguimos rompiendo fronteras." Un siglo después de nuestro abuelo, traspasamos fronteras para llevar el legado del mejor café a Asia.

    15. 2024

      Particular Coffee Academy launches — world-class specialty coffee education from a 4th-generation Colombian producer. Se lanza Particular Coffee Academy — educación de café especial de clase mundial desde un productor colombiano de cuarta generación.

    16. 2026

      The academy reaches 7 courses and 64+ lessons across the full seed-to-cup chain. We open the curriculum to learners in Italy, China, and beyond. La academia alcanza 7 cursos y más de 64 lecciones a través de la cadena completa de la semilla a la taza. Abrimos el currículo a aprendices en Italia, China y más allá.

A family made out of coffee Una familia hecha de café

Four generations dedicated to preserving the legacy that has made us proud in Colombia and the world. More than a source of pride, it is the responsibility of developing sustainable and innovative production models for a business on which hundreds of coffee-picker families depend — and the future from one of the best coffees in the world, whose history we want to carry to the most demanding consumers across the globe.

Our Mission

To democratize specialty coffee education and empower the next generation of coffee professionals worldwide — from producers in origin countries to baristas, roasters, and entrepreneurs across the globe.

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