Our Work with Producers
Building an Equitable Supply Chain
As a small company that has built our business around trust, we have invested in our producer partners and worked tirelessly to build equitable trade relationships with farmers. Our transparent pricing structure helps us ensure that farmers are paid fair prices for their products, and we pay farmers within about a week of delivery of their coffee. Contact and communication with farmers, both in person and through telecommunications, is the essence of how we do direct trade.
Our agronomy team in the Huista region of Huehuetenango works year-round with about 250 producers across nine communities in the area, with a focus on helping farmers meet their costs of production. They assist not only independent producers but also the members of eight producer cooperatives; strong relationships with cooperatives are key to the success of the region because they help farmers with critical needs such as access to credit to invest in their farms. Critical challenges remain, from effectively engaging women producers to finding ways to work with indigenous coffee growers despite language and cultural barriers. Special partnerships with a young producers’ group and a womens’ producer group help us work toward a supply chain that is truly fair.
Sustainability and Quality
Our expert agronomists train producers on how to maintain the health of their soils, naturally control coffee pests and diseases, prune their plants effectively, and manage the amount of shade their coffee plants receive. These measures can help farmers boost productivity on their farms without straining the environment. Cost-effective strategies like using coffee pulp as fertilizer and managing wastewater can help preserve the Huista region’s natural resources for future generations.
Our team boasts 2 members certified as Q-processing level 2 professionals, who help farmers understand the post-harvest practices that can help them achieve excellent cup quality and higher prices. They work to help farmers perfect their fermentation, washing, and drying, as well as providing helpful information for farmers wishing to explore natural and honey processing for their coffees. By working toward sustainability and quality, our team is helping the farmers of the region create a better livelihood for themselves and for future generations of farmers in Guatemala.