Café Graciela, an Afro‑Colombian family roaster that introduced spiced, single‑origin beans to farmers markets across Central Ohio, says it is fighting to stay open after a rough harvest season on the family farm in Colombia sharply cut its yield. The bad year wiped out inventory and left the siblings behind the brand hustling to cover roughly $50,000 in losses while trying to keep the scholarships and youth programs their sales fund from going dark.
Last summer, the De Arco family reported a much smaller harvest at their Colombia farm, a shortfall they say cost the business about $50,000 and squeezed supply, as reported by CW Columbus. “There’s no outsourcing of the product; it’s our own coffee that we grow organically from Colombia and bring here to Columbus,” co‑founder Andres De Arco told the outlet. Since then, the family has been stretching what beans they have left across farmers market booths, online orders and wholesale prospects.
The company is named for the siblings’ grandmother and traces its roots to Colombia’s Coffee Axis, where the family farm grows the beans used in every bag, according to Cafe Graciela. The brand describes itself as an Afro‑Colombian social enterprise, with proceeds helping fund scholarships and after‑school programs in the family’s hometown in Colombia.
From Farm To Farmers Market
The De Arcos keep the supply chain mostly in family hands, handling harvesting, processing and exporting before roasting and packaging in Ohio. Along the way, they built a loyal following at local markets and the Columbus Coffee Festival. Local small‑business group ECDI notes that the team used Food Fort kitchen space and microloans to scale production and move toward retail, including pitches to larger grocery chains. That growth expanded Café Graciela’s reach, but it also meant this season’s crop shortfall hit cash flow especially hard.
Community Fundraiser Keeps Them Brewing
With inventory running low, the family says they are taking things week by week, relying on farmers market sales and a community fundraiser to bridge payroll and production costs, the family told CW Columbus. Fans of their spiced Panelita blend have been leaving messages of support at market stalls and online, but the owners caution that margins are thin and fully restocking depends on the farm bouncing back.
Those looking to help can pre‑order or check the company’s market schedule and shop page, both listed on Cafe Graciela. The family says every purchase helps keep scholarship programs in Colombia alive. For now, the De Arcos plan to keep showing up at stalls across Central Ohio and are hoping the next harvest is strong enough to carry them through.
