For a few days, the emblematic Mr. Juan Valdez has been seen walking through the streets of Madrid, that iconic character with a mustache and hat (in this case he was not accompanied by his mule) who has been traveling the world since the 60s on behalf of the more than 500,000 Colombian coffee growers and their families. Turned into a brand, and a symbol of an entire country, Juan Valdez (only three actors have represented him throughout his history) was created by an advertising agency in 1959 on behalf of the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), and his appearances in public, social, sports events ... they have always identified with Colombian coffee.

The reason for its presence now in Madrid is the recent opening of the first conceptual store and flagship store in Spain of Juan Valdez Café. For this, the brand has chosen one of the most rising and avant-garde commercial places in the capital, Caleido, where in the last year all kinds of fashion, art, gastronomy establishments have been installed... In the basement of the same Torre Caleido, the last skyscraper to join the complex of the Four Towers of Madrid, the new store is a large space of about 100 square meters, divided between an indoor room and an outdoor terrace area, in which there is a cafeteria area, with tables, chairs and armchairs, and a store to buy the products and live an experience around 100% premium Colombian coffee.

The new store of Juan Valdez Café.

"Spain is a very coffee country that, in addition, receives a large number of tourists, especially Latin Americans; therefore, we know that our brand has a lot of potential here, that is why we have activated an ambitious expansion plan of Juan Valdez Café for the coming years, "says Sebastián Mejía, vice president of the firm internationally. This plan consists of opening up to 100 stores in the next ten years, including the islands and Portugal, both owned and franchised. "Spain is the key to entry to the rest of Europe."

Coffee Experience

The new commercial space of Juan Valdez in Spain, in which you can taste up to 15 different profiles of cup of the 100% Colombian Arabica coffee variety ground or in grana, packaged, to drink or take away, in addition to coffee already prepared hot or cold to drink accompanied by pastry, joins the other four express stores that the brand has in Madrid (in the shopping centers of La Gavia, El Ferial, Príncipe Pío and Plenilunio). It will have benches, as well as high tables for more casual meetings and comfortable armchairs with tables collected for those who prefer to spend some time relaxing and disconnecting. As a novelty, the store will offer signature cocktails with coffee as the main ingredient. "We want our premises to live the real experience of tasting the true coffee of Colombia," according to Sebastián Mejía.

Regarding the location of the store, the manager says that they chose this new area of Madrid "because it is becoming fashionable and the influx of public is constant. During the week, with the workers of the offices of the Cuatro Torres and the hospital of La Paz and on weekends, with the people who come to buy at the many stores around."

Social action

Since its origins, the Juan Valdez brand, which has more than 500 stores in 17 countries, has been committed to Colombian coffee growers and the generation of shared value from sustainability, inclusion and gender equality. This has made it the only firm in the world that belongs to more than 540,000 families dedicated to the cultivation of coffee. Currently, it carries out various programs aimed at the multidimensional development of women and young coffee farmers with problems such as Mujeres Cafeteras and Renacer.

Sebastián Mejía, international vice president of Juan Valdez Café.

"We like to inform in our stores of the social programs we have. It is also a way of approaching young consumers, who welcome our actions, such as, for example, knowing that part of what they pay for each coffee they drink goes to a social program in Colombia has been very well received, "says Mejía. "It's not about earning money and more money, but about distributing it among some 500,000 families."

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