Jairo Arcila is a third-generation coffee grower in Quindío, Colombia. Married to Luz Helena Salazar, they had two sons together: Carlos and Felipe Arcila, co-founders of Cofinet. Jairo's first job was as a Plant Manager at Colombia's second largest exporter. He continued to work there for more than 40 years, until his retirement in 2019.
Jairo bought his first coffee farm, Finca La Esmeralda, in 1987, where he planted his first batch of Caturra. He was fortunate to make money producing coffee while working full-time for the local exporter. With his savings, Jairo managed to acquire five additional farms. After La Esmeralda, he bought Villarazo, Mazatlán, Santa Mónica, Maracay, and finally Buenos Aires. During harvest season, Jairo can offer numerous jobs to locals, which has a significant economic impact on his community.
