Happy Birthday, Forest Coffee! As we celebrate five years of impact and innovation, we sit down with one of our founders, Shady Bayter, to reflect on Forest journey and future through five insightful questions.

When you look back, did you ever imagine achieving all that you have in these five years?

SB: "Along with my brother Elías, we always dreamed big. We didn't know exactly how things would be, but we always had the vision of creating an impact, and that's what drives us every day. Through Forest, we've had the opportunity to work with over 300 producers, impacting the lives of more than 200 families across the Huila and Tolima regions through our projects. Although we've made mistakes along the way, we've learned, corrected, and kept moving forward, always searching to do things in the best possible way.

In this space, I want to thank my mother, Marta Montenegro, for always supporting us and standing by us in all our ideas, regardless of the times we've made mistakes; to everyone who trusted Forest Coffee from the moment it was just an idea, and to those who decided to believe and build alongside us; to our team, and to all the companies and roasters who lent us a helping hand during the pandemic".

What would you say has been the greatest lesson from these five years?

SB: "The biggest lesson has been building trust and credibility. Thanks to this, we've managed to form solid teams with committed people, and we've established lasting relationships with our producers; in fact, more than 38 of them were encouraged to switch to specialty coffee thanks to that trust. Additionally, with roasters from various parts of the world, we've earned the credibility needed for them to choose to work with specialty coffee. Trust and credibility have allowed us to grow as a company, to develop communities in Colombian regions, and we want to keep transforming".

What have been the biggest challenges along the way?

SB: "Competing with large multinationals is a major challenge, as they have advantages like a strong financial base and infrastructure. Another significant challenge has been educating roasters about how coffee prices work and the reality of life for producers in Colombia. We have also worked to help producers to recognize the true" value of their product.

What motivates you to keep doing what Forest does?

SB: "Our greatest motivation is seeing how a product like coffee, handled the right way, can change lives. At Forest, we don't see coffee just as a commodity; we've always given it added value, and doing so has allowed us to transform and impact the lives of everyone who is part of this dream".

How do you envision Forest in five years, when it's close to reaching its first decade?

SB: "Our goal, even before reaching that first decade, is for Forest to be top of mind for roasters around the world. We want to continue transforming lives through coffee, working with thousands of producers, impacting more families, and helping more Colombian coffee farmers to start growing specialty coffee and educating them to unveil the power of their product. We dream of leading more projects that create impact in all regions of Colombia and of collaborating with thousands of roasters who align with our company vision".

Forest is a legacy, and I hope it endures for many years. With or without us, we want it to keep growing and transforming lives.