Coffee is one of Colombia’s and Ecuador’s most recognized exports, with a strong presence in markets around the world. Reflecting the sector’s continued international growth, Federal Express Corporation, the world’s largest express transportation company, transported more than 1.8 million pounds of coffee from the two countries during fiscal year 2026, representing a 42% year-over-year increase.
The growth comes amid continued momentum for local coffee exports, an industry that has historically played an important role in Colombia’s economic and social development. According to the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, the country exported more than 6 million bags of coffee during the first five months of the year. The federation also identifies the Coffee Triangle, comprising Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda, as one of the country’s most prominent coffee-producing regions.
“The activity we have seen around coffee exports underscores the importance of having a logistics network that can support the international growth of a product that is so emblematic of the region, particularly at a time when the industry is navigating challenges that can affect operations and access to new markets,” said Eduardo Garrido, senior manager of ramp operations and customs for FedEx in Colombia and Ecuador. “At FedEx, we bring our logistics expertise and capabilities to help producers maintain continuity in their commercial operations and connect with opportunities across more than 220 countries and territories.”
The importance of speed, service quality and shipment visibility is also shared by leading specialty coffee companies such as Café Devoción.
Andrés Grazt, sales manager at Café Devoción, emphasized the importance of having expert guidance and the appropriate logistics network when embarking on the export process. “Since 2006, at Devoción we have worked to bring the freshest possible Colombian coffee to the cup, maintaining close relationships with our coffee growers and controlling every stage of the process, from origin to roasting. FedEx has been a key logistics provider in making this possible, transporting our green coffee from Bogotá to New York in just a few days and helping us maintain a ‘from-origin-to-cup’ process of only 10 days. This collaboration has allowed us to share the diversity and quality of Colombian coffee with consumers around the world, without losing sight of where it comes from or the people who make it possible.”
FedEx has experience handling perishable products and specialized infrastructure in Bogotá and Medellín, including cold rooms and direct connectivity to Miami, one of the primary gateways into the United States. The importance of the U.S. market to Colombia’s coffee industry is reflected in figures from the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia: During the first five months of the year, the United States accounted for 40.4% of Colombian coffee exports, totaling more than 2.5 million bags.
FedEx supports coffee shipments across a range of sizes and formats, from palletized freight to small priority shipments. Transit times are particularly important in helping preserve the condition of coffee beans throughout transportation, especially for specialty coffee lots, where freshness and quality are critical.