The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) introduced the fictional character of Juan Valdez, a Colombian coffee farmer who first appeared with his mule Conchita in 1958 to represent the quality, values and traditions of Colombian coffee growers. Since 2002, the Juan Valdez® brand has been present in all types of sales channels: Speciality coffee stores, retail, HORECA and online. With over 600 Juan Valdez café stores and its premium coffees available in more than 13,000 points of sale in over 40 countries, the brand continues its expansion plan to represent the best Colombian coffee.