Your Organic Guide to Medellín

My time in Colombia has naturally been spent sampling all the local food. After all, to get a taste of a country, you need to literally get a taste. However, during my culinary feast, I’ve begun to wonder how easy it is to find specialty or dietary-specific foods in the city. In North America and Europe, things like organic produce are relatively easy to find – but what about here?

I assumed that demand for organic food is relatively low, and after some research, discovered I was correct – even though Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, in Latin America alone, its organic market lags behind Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. The difficulty is, Colombia doesn’t have an official certification for organic foods in the same way that the USA or UK does, so there’s no way to really know if something is organic. Nonetheless, there are certain spots around Medellín that are likely to sell – and even grow – organic foods. Here’s the lowdown on eating and drinking organic in the City of Eternal Spring.

Cafes

Urbania

Calle 8 # 43B-132, El Poblado

Describing themselves as a “socially and environmentally responsible company”, Urbania only works from a grain-to-cup ethos, supporting small, local coffee farmers. They’re best known for their ‘Café Calima’, which is cultivated without agrochemicals and in soil derived from volcanic ash – making the taste phenomenal and the process 100% organic.

Rituales

Circular 74A #39B-22, Laureles

Working in partnership with an Antioquia coffee farm, Rituales proudly serves three different types of coffee – Pureza, Luz and Paraíso – all grown under completely natural conditions. The coffee is transported to Medellín where the beans are ground above the Rituales café and served daily. Rituales also holds roasting classes and barista courses for those serious about sustainability and sabor.

Betty’s Bowls

Carrera 32D #7A-77, El Poblado

A newcomer to the organic scene, Betty’s Bowls also has three types of coffee on offer, all of which are organic and single-origin, from beans matured without the use of pesticides. What’s more, in support of their culture of sustainability, the restaurant only uses biodegradable cutlery.

Restaurants

El Cielo

Carrera 40 # 10A-22, El Poblado

An iconic place to eat in Medellín, El Cielo is fine-dining at its best. Since its opening in 2006, the restaurant has been using organic, fair trade products in its experimental dishes and sensory experiences. Even the décor of El Cielo reflects its values – the plants, leather and wood are all reminiscent of traditional Pasia farms.

"60% of Colombian organic crops are fruit and vegetables"

Colombia has been consolidating its potential as a producer and exporter of fruit and vegetables throughout the years and the global recognition of this potential is encouraging investors to take a closer look at this country. The sector's pursuit for recognition, organic farming regulation, and the advice from private guilds are required so that the Colombian economy can benefit from fruit and vegetable exports. Unlike its neighbors, Colombia isn't centralized. The country's peace process is having satisfactory results, and the country has the resources to become an exporting powerhouse in growth.

"If we take into account that Colombia has between 41,000 and 51,000 hectares devoted exclusively for the certified organic production, we have to say that the country has a very big potential. Unfortunately, so far Colombia is the only country in the region where the standard has not been updated, making it impossible for the country to sign homologation agreements with the European Union and the Andean Community. That's why the entire production chain, including producers, exporters, suppliers of logistics, and certifiers created a union. So far, we have 300 members between small, medium, and large business, over 60% of which are dedicated to the fruit and vegetable sector," said Richard Probst, vice president of the Federation of organic products (Fedeorgánicos).

"An great example of our work with affiliated companies is the project to cultivate Amazonian Cayenne pepper. We have replaced 40 hectares of illicit crops with pepper crops and our goal is to reach 100 hectares. The advantage of this product is that it is a native pepper that is very strong and rich in capsaicin, and that it can be industrialized thanks to its adaptability to climate variations. The project is being supported by the United States through different organizations, and the samples sent to this country and the Caribbean have been very well accepted," Probst continued.

"We will be holding an international forum on July 27 and 28 to promote our work and publicize our trade policies." We'll have international speakers and we'll be discussing issues that are relevant to investors and the entire production chain. We will also have samples of the products that we are promoting such as: Baby bananas, physalis, pomegranates, and Amazonian fruits. The small and medium-sized fruit and vegetable business will be particularly relevant during the fair," the representative of Fedeorganicos said.

Organic Food