Juan Valdez: The Brand of Colombian Coffee
The Brand of Colombian Coffee, both in popularity and flavor, is undoubtedly Juan Valdez, a global name today.
For the skeptics, the Brand of Colombian Coffee is Juan Valdez, symbolizing the quality of thousands of producers in Colombia.
It is essential to emphasize that Juan Valdez is both a character and a brand that signifies Colombian coffee.
Created by the Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) agency in 1959, commissioned by the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), it was designed to represent over 500,000 Colombian coffee growers and their families.
With Juan Valdez, his mule (Conchita), and the Andes mountains in the background, the logo’s purpose is to identify and ensure the distribution of brands representing 100% Colombian coffee.
In 2002, the FNC launched the Juan Valdez Café franchise. Juan Valdez has over 200 locations in Colombia and other countries in America, Europe, and Asia, with the latest opening in Egypt.
But Juan Valdez, the brand of Colombian coffee, has decades of history, originating from a character created in 1959 to represent the dedication of over 500,000 Colombian coffee growers and their families.
His image embodies the archetype of a Colombian coffee grower, especially from the coffee region par excellence: the Coffee Axis, characterized by the Paisa culture, reflected in Juan Valdez’s traditional attire with his carriel, poncho, alpargatas, and other elements of the classic Paisa muleteer.
The Brand of Colombian Coffee
In 2005, the character Juan Valdez was recognized as the most important advertising icon in the United States during Advertising Week in New York.
Over the years, the Promoter of Colombian Coffee (Procafecol S.A.), in charge of the brand, has developed new products around the image, including Juan Valdez stores offering various coffee-related products in different countries in America and Europe.
Juan Valdez’s image has become a symbol and representation of Colombia internationally. It is frequently mentioned when talking about Colombia globally, even in famous TV shows.
For example, in the American TV show “The Ellen Show,” a character dressed as Juan Valdez, without pants, brings coffee to the Colombian guest, Sofia Vergara.
In an episode of the renowned show “The Simpsons,” a jar is shown with the caption: “Colombia’s Shame, discount coffee,” alluding to the Simpson family running out of money and having to buy discounted coffee, causing a look of shame from Juan Valdez in that image.
Another notable appearance is in the American film “Bruce Almighty,” where the main actor, Jim Carrey, wishes for coffee, and Juan Valdez appears at his window to give it to him, to which the actor says, “This is fresh mountain coffee straight from Colombia.”
The Juan Valdez franchise, representing the brand of Colombian coffee, was created in November 2002 by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, simultaneously with the opening of the first store in Bogotá.
In 2004, the expansion process began nationally, opening stores in other cities in Colombia. In 2005, the international leap was made, opening stores in crucial markets such as the United States and Spain.
In 2006, alliances were announced with companies like Falabella and Casual Brands Group, among others.
Its main competitor today is the American store Starbucks, with which the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia has tried to form a partnership for several years by joining forces with Brazilian coffee growers.
Also read: The origin of Mercado Libre.
