Current status of coffee and cocoa roasting companies in the Department of Huila

The department of Huila leads the production of specialty coffees in Colombia and ranks fourth in cocoa production, standing out in international markets for its quality and aroma. However, there is an information gap regarding the technological level and processes of roasting companies. This research aimed to characterize and categorize these companies based on their business information, marketing strategies, product processing, and legal compliance, thereby facilitating the design of improvement plans. A study was conducted with 45 companies (32 coffee and 13 cocoa) distributed across the northern, western, central, and southern regions of the department. A 50-question survey, divided into four key categories, was administered. The data obtained were processed using descriptive, multivariate, correspondence, and hierarchical cluster analyses. The results revealed significant differences in organizational structure between cocoa and coffee roasters; within the cocoa sector, a critical need for intervention in transformation processes—specifically fermentation—was identified. Multivariate analysis allowed for the classification of organizations into large, medium, and small. The determined variables for this categorization were the number of employees and their academic level. This study provides a solid foundation for technological foresight, enabling concrete actions to strengthen the competitiveness of the agribusiness in Huila.