Carlos Arbelaez is a Colombian social entrepreneur based in France and co-founder of Plural Café. After fleeing Colombia for political reasons, he spent several years working on the social and professional integration of refugees before turning to coffee. Plural Café was conceived as a holistic project: farmer-sourced coffee, roasting in the Paris region, local distribution—often by bicycle—and sales to both individuals and professionals.
The project aims to support cooperatives of small-scale producers (particularly in Colombia), ensure fair trade, and promote high-quality coffee while respecting people and the environment. Carlos champions the idea that coffee can act as a “social connector”: each cup tells a story—of producers, refugees, roasters, and engaged consumers. Through his journey, he embodies commitment, resilience, and social entrepreneurship, striving to build bridges between cultures, territories, and communities around a universal product: coffee.
