The Willys Jeep is a folk icon of Colombia's coffee industry, prized for decades by coffee farmers for hauling people, coffee, and equipment along steep, single-track mountain roads. It also inspired the label for Cafetal's Colombia Triple Fermented coffee.

How the Willys Jeep became a coffee industry icon

Willys Jeeps first arrived in Colombia in the 1940s, originally imported for the Colombian army. Rather than serving in the military, they found their real calling on the country's coffee farms.

Video: Willys Jeeps at work in Colombia's coffee-growing region.

Coffee farmers adopted them as a replacement for the hardworking mules that had carried coffee out of the mountains. On single-track dirt roads, these vehicles were sturdy, reliable, easy to repair, and perfectly suited to the terrain.

Today the Willys Jeep remains a folkloric figure in the coffee industry, especially in towns like Armenia and Calarcá in Quindío, where some are still used to move coffee and supplies.

Willys Jeep and Colombian coffee: quick facts

• Arrival: Willys Jeeps came to Colombia in the 1940s.
• Nickname: Locals call them "Yipao" or "Jeep Willys", and a fully loaded jeep is itself called a yipao.
• Region: They're most closely tied to Colombia's Coffee Cultural Landscape, including Quindío, Caldas and Risaralda.
• Celebration: Armenia hosts the Yipao parade, where jeeps are piled high with coffee sacks, furniture and harvests.

Why we put a Willys Jeep on our coffee label

Like coffee farmers, we wanted to connect agricultural producers, the Willys Jeep, and our customers, honouring every step of a coffee's journey. That's why the Willys Jeep inspired the label of our Colombia Triple Fermented coffee, representing the effort of coffee growers whose beans travel directly to us in Adelaide, South Australia. This iconic transport is part of the direct-trade journey that gets this coffee safely to Australia.

Video: The journey of Colombian coffee and the Willys Jeep.

Taste the Colombia Triple Fermented coffee

Our Colombia Triple Fermented coffee showcases an innovative fermentation process that unlocks flavours of cocoa, passion fruit, and sweet tropical fruits.

If you'd like to try it, visit our coffee roastery in Kent Town, Adelaide, or order it online.

FAQ

Why is the Willys Jeep important to Colombian coffee?

It replaced mules as the main way to move coffee, people and equipment along steep mountain roads, and it became a symbol of coffee-growing culture in Colombia.

Are Willys Jeeps still used on Colombian coffee farms?

Yes. In towns such as Armenia, Calarcá, Salento and many more, Willys Jeeps are still used to carry coffee and supplies, and locals celebrate them in festivals.

Which Cafetal coffee features the Willys Jeep?

Our Colombia Triple Fermented coffee, with tasting notes of cocoa, passion fruit, and sweet tropical fruits. It's available at our Kent Town roastery or online.