Gabriel Restrepo has been part of Ally’s sourcing team for nearly three years and now leads the department as its manager. Growing up on a coffee farm in Colombia, his life has always been intertwined with coffee. In our conversation, we explored sourcing challenges, the realities faced by producers, and what most people don’t know about the day-to-day of sourcing coffee. Check it out for valuable insights!
1. Ally: Let’s start with you! Where’s home for you, and what’s your favorite way to enjoy coffee on a day off?
Gabriel: I'm from Colombia, specifically a small town in the Antioquia department — one of the most coffee-productive regions in the country. I grew up on a coffee farm, so my entire life has literally been surrounded by coffee.
I carry my “boy scout” coffee gear wherever I go to ensure I can always brew a good cup. My preferred method is the V60. I enjoy paying close attention to every detail — from using a precise scale and a quality hand grinder to choosing the right paper filter and, of course, selecting a well-roasted coffee. One of the greatest perks of working for a coffee company is having access to exceptional coffees from around the world.
For me, enjoying coffee goes beyond simply drinking it. It's about connecting the final brew with every step it took to get there — from the hands of the producer to the cup. As a coffee buyer, I sometimes have the privilege of experiencing the entire journey, from meeting the producer at origin to enjoying the final cup, whether at home or in a coffee shop.
2. Ally: How do you balance consistency and quality when selecting coffees for our clients?
Gabriel: Quality is a measure of how well a product meets a defined set of specifications, while consistency refers to the ability to repeatedly deliver a product that maintains the same level of quality.
Maintaining consistency is one of the greatest challenges in specialty coffee, as it can be influenced by numerous factors beyond our control. The most critical is climate, which directly affects bean development on the coffee tree. Another key factor is the human element — every action taken by the producer throughout the coffee's lifecycle on the farm can significantly influence the final quality.
With this in mind, one of our key strategies for minimizing quality variations and ensuring consistency is to carefully select, develop, and maintain strong relationships with suppliers who are deeply committed to quality. By working closely with dedicated producers, we aim to consistently deliver a product that meets our clients’ expectations.
3. Ally: From your experience, what are the main challenges coffee producers are facing right now?
G: In my opinion, there are two major challenges currently threatening specialty coffee production: climate change, which is impacting the productivity and health of coffee trees, and labor shortages in rural areas. Both challenges can be addressed, but doing so will require time, investment, and the development of adaptive strategies through collaboration between scientists, governments, and the coffee industry.
One thing is certain: in the coming years, we are likely to see a significant decline in truly outstanding coffee qualities, as these depend heavily on natural factors that are beyond the control of coffee producers.
4. Ally: Is there a coffee you’ve tasted recently that made you go “wow”? Tell us a little about it.
G: This is a tough question — I’ve had the chance to taste hundreds of exceptional coffees this year. Since Ally focuses on specialty coffee, our menu features a wide range of origins, varieties, and processing methods, each offering unique attributes that create a rich spectrum of flavor profiles.
Choosing just one coffee wouldn’t be fair. Instead, I’d say that as an Ally client, you have access to a diverse portfolio — whether you're seeking exotic, complex, and delicate flavors in our microlot selection from origins like Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Brazil, or Ethiopia, or looking for well-balanced, reliable options through our Core Coffee program.
5. Ally: Are there any origins or regions you feel are particularly exciting or promising right now?
G: Another difficult question. I’d say it’s not about a specific origin/region — every country and region has exceptional coffee producers, each with unique stories and remarkable coffees worth sharing.
As coffee buyers, we carry an important responsibility: to tell these stories not just from the product perspective, but also from the human side. More important than the coffee bean itself is the person behind it. Our job is to connect both ends of the supply chain — from producer to consumer — and make sure the people behind the coffee are seen, heard, and valued.
6. Ally: What is one thing about coffee sourcing that most people outside the industry don’t know?
G: Producing coffee — whether commercial or specialty — can be incredibly tough for many producers. What’s often overlooked is that, in most cases, a few bags of coffee represent their entire income. That means selling at a fair price isn’t just a number on a contract; it can directly impact a family's livelihood and quality of life.
Most coffee producers live in underdeveloped countries with limited access to basic services and infrastructure. On top of that, coffee production is seasonal. For many, there’s only a 3- to 4-month window each year to earn the income needed to sustain their families for the entire year.
It’s disheartening to see some industry players negotiating aggressively over just a few cents. While that might seem insignificant from the perspective of a developed economy, those few cents can mean the difference between financial stability and hardship for a coffee-producing family.