OCIDA aims to improve the socioeconomic well-being of smallholder producers, particularly women and youth, through circular and diversified agriculture. The project supports environmental risk reduction, crop diversification and market access, with a focus on the cacao and coffee sectors. It currently benefits more than 7,000 producers and 80 rural enterprises across the departments of Copán, Santa Bárbara, Ocotepeque, Lempira, Intibucá and La Paz.

Under this new agreement, Lutheran World Relief and AHPROCAFE will jointly implement activities to strengthen the productive capacities of coffee-farming families. This includes promoting improved agricultural practices, expanding access to agri-food technologies and supporting innovation and value addition within the coffee value chain. Training and services will be delivered in key project areas, including La Paz, Intibucá, Lempira and Santa Bárbara.

“This agreement represents a significant step forward in our commitment to locally driven rural development and the long-term sustainability of the coffee sector,” said Karen Pavon, Director for Central America at Corus International. “By working alongside AHPROCAFE, we are ensuring that farmers have access to the tools and knowledge they need to innovate, diversify, and thrive.”

The OCIDA project reflects the broader commitment of Lutheran World Relief and Corus International to locally led, community-driven solutions that expand opportunity and strengthen communities’ ability to manage environmental and economic challenges. Through strong partnerships with farmer organizations, cooperatives, and public institutions, the initiative helps build a more sustainable agricultural economy in Honduras.

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The Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mocha is a velvety strawberry mocha finished with Soft Top and heart sprinks.

The Strawberries & Cream Rebel is a dreamy fusion of strawberry and sweet cream blended with Dutch Bros’ exclusive Rebel energy drink complete with Soft Top and heart sprinks.

In addition to these special sips, Dutch Bros will be giving back to the communities it serves. On February 14, Dutch Bros will donate $1 from every and any drink sold to local charities.

“We’re thrilled to host our 19th annual Dutch Luv giveback with two new drinks for customers to fall in love with and a chance to make a difference with our giveback day,” said Tana Davila, chief marketing officer at Dutch Bros.

“Uplifting organizations in the communities we serve is ingrained into who we are and what we do at Dutch Bros. Our amazing team and supportive customers are what make this giveback so impactful, year after year.”

To make the biggest impact on nearby communities, local Dutch Bros operators select Dutch Luv partners. This year’s beneficiaries include Houston Food Bank, Feeding San Diego, Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Southern Arizona Network for Down Syndrome and more.

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Central to HRNS’ mission is scaling projects to ensure long-term, sustainable benefits for smallholder coffee farmers. Learn more about these strategies by visiting this detailed guide on scaling projects in smallholder coffee farmer communities. Drawing from extensive field experience, HRNS has identified three key scaling strategies:

Scaling Deep: This approach focuses on providing customized and reliable support to farmers, both during and beyond project periods. By offering regular backstopping and participatory monitoring and evaluation, HRNS ensures that new practices are consistently applied, leading to lasting behavioral changes. “From the outset, it is important to consider how to maintain the structures created during the project,” says Morgan Mkonyi, Co-Country Manager of HRNS in Tanzania.

Scaling Wide: HRNS promotes the dissemination of best practices through well-designed training-of-trainers programs and by leveraging existing social networks. This strategy creates spillover effects, allowing innovations to reach a broader audience beyond direct project beneficiaries. “Well-designed projects lay a solid foundation and create a critical mass of change agents, but to ensure that this impact is both lasting and broad, scaling is important,” adds Professor Dr. Christiana Weber, who assessed the long-term impact of an International Coffee Partners (ICP) project as part of a tracer study.

Scaling Beyond: Addressing structural obstacles, HRNS advocates for institutional and political changes that extend beyond the organization’s direct influence. By identifying blockers and collaborating with key stakeholders, HRNS works to create an enabling environment for sustainable development.

HRNS helps smallholder families improve their livelihoods by applying strategies that deliver sustainable, long-term benefits. To amplify this impact, HRNS calls on partners across sectors to actively contribute to scaling these efforts. Partners are encouraged to provide resources, share expertise, and support innovative solutions that enable smallholder communities to thrive sustainably.

Their role is crucial in driving long-term systemic change, helping to scale impact by reaching more farming families worldwide and creating lasting, meaningful improvements across rural coffee-growing communities.

Together, these collaborations can drive long-term systemic change and strengthen the foundation’s ability to reach even more farming families worldwide. Operating with a global team of over 250 dedicated professionals, HRNS maintains regional offices in Guatemala, Brazil, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, with its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany.

HRNS focuses on three core objectives: strengthening smallholder families social situation, addressing rural youth opportunities, and focusing on nature as the third objective, which includes promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation, agroforestry, biodiversity, soil health, and other nature-based solutions.

Through its holistic approach, HRNS addresses various aspects of rural development, including family business management, organizational development, climate change adaptation, youth empowerment, and gender equality. By focusing on these areas, HRNS aims to shape production systems and rural landscapes that are attractive and sustainable for smallholder families.

HRNS collaborates with a wide range of partners, including local governments, international NGOs, private sector stakeholders, and community organizations. Key private sector partners include Lavazza, Peet’s, Tchibo, and Starbucks, who play an essential role in advancing HRNS’ mission by supporting sustainable practices and extending the reach of impactful projects. HRNS serves as the implementer of International Coffee Partners (ICP) and the initiative for coffee&climate, which are pivotal in promoting collaborative and innovative approaches to sustainability in the coffee sector. These partnerships amplify the foundation’s ability to implement scalable and sustainable projects, ensuring that its impact reaches more smallholder families and fosters systemic change across the coffee value chain.

For more information about HRNS and its initiatives, please click here.

About HRNS

Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) is an independent foundation working with smallholder families in coffee regions and youth in Germany. We believe that only strong future generations around the globe can shape a livable world.

HRNS pursues three goals: (1) to improve the social and economic situation of smallholder families in tropical countries, (2) to protect the environment and nature, and (3) to promote the prospects of young people. The foundation realizes its goals as an implementer, co-financier and sponsor. HRNS was founded in 2005 by the family of Michael R. Neumann.

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“In the interest of the well-being of coffee farmers and for the sake of the long-term sustainability of the industry, it is therefore important not only to ensure fair prices for growers, but also to work together to reach a greater stability and transparency along the coffee supply chain. Here is the text of the declaration:

In recent weeks, the global coffee market has witnessed a significant surge in prices, prompting concerns over the impact this will have on stakeholders along the supply chain as well as the operability of the coffee industry as a whole.

From the bustling streets of Melbourne to the trading floors of London and New York, the price of coffee has experienced unprecedented volatility, from US $1.80/lb in February to a high of $2.45/lb on the 15 April, an increase of 65 cents per pound, then going back down to $2.25/lb, a decrease of 20 cents per pound, in just a week.

Several factors have converged to drive these price hikes. Adverse weather conditions in major coffee-producing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia and Brazil, have led to fears of shortages, exacerbating the already delicate balance of supply and demand.

Prolonged heatwaves in Vietnam, a key producer of robusta beans, have damaged crops, while Brazil, the world’s largest producer of arabica beans, has faced challenges from heavy rainfall impacting its harvests. These climatic disruptions, compounded by geopolitical tensions disrupting shipping routes, and the speculative nature of futures contracts across investment portfolios, have created a perfect storm of uncertainty in the coffee market.

It is crucial to recognize that while higher coffee prices may seem beneficial for coffee farmers, the reality is often very different. In fact, the sudden surges and drops in coffee prices can cause significant strain and hardship for farmer organisations.

If prices soar, after a contract price has been fixed, the cooperative may still need to purchase coffee at prices competitive with what local buyers and middlemen are offering, and that could be far beyond what the contract will compensate for.

But if the cooperative is unable to bring in sufficient coffee from its members, due to the intense local competition that invariably accompanies high price moments, it risks significant fines and reputational damage that comes with contract defaults.

In light of these challenges, Fairtrade plays a crucial role in providing a degree of certainty and stability for coffee producers. By supporting small producer organisations through training on quality, productivity, and resource management, farmers can negotiate better terms of trade, reach more markets, and also build resilience against market volatility.

However, the complexities of the global coffee market underscore the need for continued collaboration and innovation to ensure a sustainable future for all stakeholders involved.

As we navigate these uncertain times, it is imperative for industry players, policymakers, and consumers to recognise the interconnectedness of the coffee supply chain and work towards solutions that prioritise the well-being of coffee farmers and the long-term sustainability of the industry.

Only through collective action and a commitment to building fair and transparent relationships across the supply chain that lead to positive results can we address the negative impacts caused by increasing coffee prices and build a more resilient and inclusive coffee sector,” concluded Fairtrade.

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The speakers dived into the fundamental principles and rights at work that serve as the foundation for sustainable economic growth in the coffee sector.

ILO’s webinar speakers:

Erika Almario Alvarado, Technical Secretary of the coffee chain, Government of the Huila, Colombia. Douglas Opio, Executive Director, Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), Uganda. Laissa Pollyana do Carmo, Advisor to the Agrarian Policy Secretariat, National Confederation of Rural Workers and Family Farmers (CONTAG), Brazil.

Each producing country has different characteristics. Can you share the three main characteristics of the supply chain in your target country?

Erika Almario Alvarado spoke from Colombia: “The diversity of the actors (mainly small producers). 73% of productive areas are cultivated with coffee. We have four links: production, transformation, trading and export. An other characteristic is the high quality of colombian coffee: we’re known as washed Arabica producer. Huilla has topography, ideal climatic conditions and the 95% of coffee families carries out their activities in areas that are smaller then 5 hectares.

Here the importance of Huila: for 13 years it has been the number one for quality and volumes, rappresenting the 20% of the national production. Small growers are 85.929 for 147-969 hectares. Finally, the thid characteristic is the social-economic impact of coffee business.”

Douglas Opio, from Uganda: “The situation in Uganda is not so different: the coffee sector is dominated by small producers. And many of them have a few hectares: many of the areas are focused on Robusta, that is the principal variety coltivated, above all because of the low altitudes. But there’s also Arabica, that grows in some areas. The beans are sold green mainly for export, instead local consumption is very low – infact, we’re basically a tea country -.”

Pollyana Laissa on the Brazilian market: “Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world (52.8 milion bags in 2022). It’s also the biggest exporter worldwide in 121 countries, (35 milion bags in 2022). United States, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Japan: they are bigger consumers of exported coffee from Brazil.

Minas Gerais is the largest coffee producer in Brazil, and it’s responsible for the production of 23 million bags in 2022.

All this coffee is grown in more than 264 thousand properties rural areas (small, medium and large). 91, 883 workers are registered (eSocial – December 2023).

About the dynamics of coffee production chain in Brazil: coffee farms> cooperatives/warehouses> export> tradings> importers> industries> supermarkets> consumers.

And here the main challenges for Brazilian coffee. Reduce informality: we have approximately 58% workers in Minas Gerais without a formal contract (Continuos PNAD 2022). Eradicate Slave Labor and Child Labor: more than 1000 workers were rescued from foced labor, and more then 100 children and adolescents found in irregular work situations from 2017 to 2023. “

The second question is about challenges of coffee supply chain has to face in each country. Two key issues: informality, child and forced labor, related to migration and women. What are the new trends regarding this topics? What is currently happening in Brazil, Colombia and Uganda?

Erika Almario Alvarado for Colombia:
“Build the path towards labor formalization (improve the working conditions of workers in the coffee supply chain). Workers are the ones who make the magic. All these families love and invest in the supply chain and this is the reason for the uniqueness of the flavours of our coffees. We have created a model that can be replicated outside Huilla. The 85% of coffee is grown in an informal economy. The pandemic in Colombia has pushed child labour further.

Our focus on migration: we have 900.000 (on 2,5 milions of jobs) pickers who migrate and are trained to pick coffee, but they fall into the 85% of informal work. More then 90% of the workers do not contribute to the social security system, while 46% do not know how to write or read or have not completed their schooling. This results, in the event of any unforeseen event, in the capital of Huilla’s entire supplychain being put at risk: we therefore decided to build a way to fill this workforce gap.”

Douglas Opio, the employer’s prospective.
“The issue is getting people with the right talent and skills in coffee farming, that is not at the moment attractive to young people. One third of our export is from coffee, so the major challenge is to get more work force.

The second aspect is the domestic consumption, that has been left behind and we have to catch up, because it is still low. Another issue from the employer’s point of view is the productivity: we have the majority of small holders farmers and that does not allow us to obtain the necessary volume with the right consistency. “

Pollyana Laissa about Brazil:
“Migration of workers from the State of Bahia and the North of Minas Girais to the South of Minas Gerais, often means that families are moving where there’s no services, education, schools. Women have many difficulties to find jobs: that causes social vulnerability of workers at departure and arrival location.

When we talk about women: of the 91.883 workers in the coffee production chain, only 15,189 are women (16%).
We try to give them opportunity and it starting now in the harvest of 2024.”

Last topic: the initiatives that have been promoted to meet these challenges

Erika Almario Alvarado in Colombia:” Our project is the perfect blend of different ingredients with the perfect timing. The first ingredient of this path is the articulation: we have an indicator that allows all workers to work with effective social dialague.

We succeded in the formation of the regional committee of the coffee chain in the department of Huila through tripartite social dialogue with representation of the productive sectors, the government and representatives of the workers We’ve invited by ILO to the decisional table and we get there in order to have a winning opportunity.

We adopted this method for productivity and decent work. We wanted to be able to articulate with stakeholders, private and public institution, and that’s why we created the Comitè Regionale de la cadena de cafè in Departimento di Huila.

We are looking to the promotion of decent work in a perceptional view, with a dedicated team. We shared all this points with the stakeholders to get more results: every link is empowerment. We will continue to work with trainers program for each stakeholder, institutions to underline the importance of those topics.

And we want to extend the project to the workers comunity. We had the goal of 1000 people involved, but we have overcome our expectations, leading an emulation effect in other departments: today we have more than 200 grower certificated, in 7 departments and 20 municipalities.

Pollyana Laissa in Brazil:
” An agreement (The Pact for the adoption of good labor practices and guarantee of decent work in coffee production in Brazil) was signed for the adoption of good labour practices and the guarantee of fair labour in coffee production in Brazil.

The partecipants: Ministry of Labor and employment, Ministry of devolepment and social assistent, family and combating hunger, National Confederation of agricultural workers and family farmers – CONTAG, National Cofederation of rural saluried workers – CONTAR, Confederation of agriculture and livestock of Brazil – CNA, Public Ministry of Labor – MPT and International Labor Organization – ILO.

Goals: cooperation between private and public entities to facilitate actions aimed at improving working conditions in coffee farming in Brazil, focusing on formalizing labor retions and guaranteeing decent work. Constitution of a Permanent Tripartite Dialogue Table for Coffee Production. Promotion of collective negotiation and board and inclusive social dialogue.

Guidance for workers and empoyers on the importance of respecting and valuing union activities. Promoting responsible business conduct and decent work. Eradication of child labor and work similar to slavery. Respect the guidelines of the sustainable work programs.

Other good practices: implementing our voices, with a pilot complaint mechanism for workers in the Brazilian coffee production chain. Created by the public survey Global fund to eradicate modern slavery, the mechanism has technical support from CONTAR to provide assistance to workers, finding a fair solutions through social dialvogue. Collective negotation in coffee sector.

Douglas Opio in Uganda:” First thing: ILO is very supportive and we created a good tripartenes arrangement, with a busy agenda with a focus on the training of employers that at the same time ensures the elimination of child labour. We are trying to document what good practices are and share them with a wider public.

We have grouped small producers into cooperatives to lower expenses and improve conditions for everyone. Often there are no smartphones and no connection, and we are now developing a more advanced technological network.
For the gender issue we are working to move women to more lucrative areas for better professions in the supply chain.”

Do certifications help growers?

Douglas Opio: “Certifications do not give much value to farmers. And about the Eudr diligence: if companies move in this direction they will have a better place in the market, but someone has to check that standards are really being met.”

Erika Almario Alvarado: “We have some problems: the supply chain has to deal with issues that certification does not take into account, as well as workers’ rights. We need to establish more direct dialogue, to give farmers easier access, using a more understandable language.”

Final question, the fundamental righ to a safe and healthy working environment

Erika Almario Alvarado: “We have companies that have been working in the certification of coffee farms and in trading different value, ricognizing the skills of workers themselves. Now growers are improving their lively conditions.

Douglas Opio:” In Uganda safety and health are important, and they’re linked to an garantueed income. Level of absenteism is reduced, own costs go down. Generally increases the level of the productivity of companies and help also the country in the process.”

Pollyana Laissa: “We’re an organization that rapresents workers, we control the conditions of all workers, many of them have been rescued from slavery situations.”

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The region was selected because many of its coffee farmers had previously abandoned the cash crop to focus on seasonal crops like maize, beans, and bananas which bring quicker returns.

UCAT was launched in August 2018 by Stichting Coffee Agronomy Training, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Enveritas with the aim of improving the livelihoods of 50,000 farmers in Western Uganda. The partners endeavored to help farmers increase their yields by at least 50% through comprehensive agronomy training implemented by HRNS and TechnoServe.

More than 70% of Uganda’s working population is employed in agriculture, making the sector extremely important for the nation’s economy. Within agriculture, coffee plays a major role as it is the main cash crop and source of income for over 1.7 million producing households and the main contributor (approx. 22%) to export earnings for the government.

However, most coffee producers, being smallholders, face several key challenges which severely limit their agricultural development potential. Among these the most impactful is the lack of proper extension – which results in poor adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), leading to low yields, and consequently, low incomes. Further to this, over the last decade the effects of climate change have become increasingly damaging for coffee production with farmers lacking adaptation skills. This, coupled with poor coffee prices led many farmers to give up on growing coffee for income.

Through a two-year agronomy training program, HRNS’ dedicated field team guided two cohorts of farmers through a step-by-step curriculum on how to improve coffee production systems. Between 2018 and 2020, the first cohort of more than 12,000 farming households in Kakumiro district were taken through the coffee management curriculum in theory and practice. In 2019, the second cohort of 10,000 households in the remaining three districts were enrolled in the program.

The UCAT curriculum promoted agricultural management based on best coffee husbandry practices, including shade tree management, pruning, weeding, soil-water conservation, pest & disease management and plant nutrition. The best available know-how and practices on climate change adaptation were also integrated into the training curriculum

The farmers who took part in the training were empowered to not only rehabilitate their coffee farms but also expand them on unused land. As a result, their livelihoods were significantly improved.

Today, 80% of the project participants acknowledge an increase in their household income thanks to coffee. Additionally, 91% of the project participants report that coffee is now their leading cash crop.

About Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS)

Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) is an independent foundation working with smallholder families in coffee regions and youth in Germany. We believe that only strong future generations around the globe can shape a livable world.

HRNS is implementing projects in seven countries worldwide focusing on the livelihood situation of smallholder families with a holistic approach in the areas of youth, climate change, family business, organizational development and gender. This contributes to prospering smallholder families, strong future generations, employment and employability, attractive rural communities and landscapes worth living in.

We see youth as drivers of change globally and in Germany. Since its foundation in 2005, HRNS reached more than 330,000 smallholder families in 18 countries. In Germany, HRNS is supporting more then 20 organizations focusing on the integration of migrated youth.

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Burundi is ideally suited for high-quality Arabica coffee production that could generate strong, recurring income for thousands of farming families. Farm elevations between 1,500 and 2,000 meters, plentiful rainfall, and a tropical savannah biome combine to create exceptional growing conditions, and coffee accounts for 80% of the country’s exports.

Despite this, Burundi’s coffee sector faces numerous challenges. Poor soil health and inadequate tree maintenance result in low and inconsistent crop yields. Production is also threatened by climate change, which is raising the frequency of both drought and heavy rainfall, leading to increased soil erosion. Meanwhile, poor processing practices reduce the quality and price of much of Burundi’s coffee, and the country’s cumbersome business environment makes it less attractive to global exporters.

As a result, many farming families earn less than $500 per year, well below the poverty line. Women and youth are among the most economically vulnerable groups, as their participation in the coffee sector is limited by factors such as lack of decision-making power and lack of control over income, and lack of access to their own plots of land.

The Burundi Better Coffee Initiative will work across the country’s coffee ecosystem to address these challenges. To improve access to agronomy support, the initiative will partner with the Kahawatu Foundation to deliver agronomy training using TechnoServe’s proven Coffee Farm College curriculum and methodology. This training will promote low-cost, regenerative agriculture practices for farm management, enhance farmers’ basic business skills, and boost production of complementary crops. The program will also provide farmers with access to lime, an essential input to improve plant nutrition and soil health, while also working with Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to expand farmers’ access to finance.

In order to improve the quality and value of the country’s coffee, the initiative will work with coffee washing stations to improve their processing and ensure compliance with quality, environmental, and social sustainability standards. Export prices among participating processors are expected to rise by as much as 20% as a result of the improved quality and sustainability.

The Burundi Better Coffee Initiative will promote a business model for local enterprises to provide essential services to coffee washing stations, and the project will also create linkages with global coffee buyers and exporters and work with Burundi’s government to build a supportive regulatory environment.

The Burundi Better Coffee Initiative will assist 60,000 coffee farming households, including 30% women and 30% youth, to increase farm income by over 40%, bringing households out of poverty and on a trajectory towards living income levels. A more sustainable and inclusive coffee sector will not only build household income, but also increase Burundi’s competitiveness in the specialty coffee market, and the program is expected to foster $32.8 million in annual coffee sales. To promote climate resilience and sustainability, farmers will convert 7,714 ha to improved, regenerative management.

“Throughout Africa and beyond, we’ve seen that working with farmers and businesses across the ecosystem can help deliver improved livelihoods and resilience for coffee-growing families,” said Carole Hemmings, Global Coffee Sustainability Director for TechnoServe. “We are excited to partner with the USDA to bring this approach to Burundi and help farmers gain greater incomes, stability, and resilience for themselves and their families.”

The program will mark the first time TechnoServe has worked in Burundi.

The post New initiative to make Burundi’s coffee more profitable and resilient appeared first on Comunicaffe International.

Casa Brasil Coffees began in 2005 as just “Casa Brasil”

A Brazilian Cultural Center in Austin, Texas, but if you talk about culture in Brazil, you also talk about coffee: how did you get to be a roaster?

“As you mention, we opened out doors as a cultural center. Our mission was to support Brazilians living in Central Texas, promote Brazilian culture, and provide a place to “touch Brazil.” We offered Portuguese classes, had weekly Samba partied, rented Brazilian movies, and had a small Brazilian market and café. We sold commercial grade Brazilian coffee (the coffee commonly sold here in Brazil). I wasn’t happy with the quality so I went to a local roaster and asked for their best Brazilian coffee. They responded ” their is no such thing as a good Brazilian coffee.”

I thought to myself “surely in a country as big as Brazil there has to be some good coffee,” and that is what really started everything. I made my first sourcing trip in 2005 to Brazil and began dedicating myself to learning everything I could about coffee. We purchased a roaster thr next year, roasting in the garage of the cultural center, and began brining in coffee the following year.”

Are there many Brazilians living in the area? What does coffee represent for them?

“There are. Both from the general fact that Brazilians can be found everywhere, it seems, but also the University of Texas at Austin has a very strong program in Brazilian studies.”

Why is there this prejudice against the quality of coffee produced by Brazil? How did you manage to overcome it with your proposal? Through education, training, cupping?

“I think the prejudice was earned. For over a century the focus in Brazil was on quantity, not quality. Though of course there have always been growers who cared about producing great coffee, it was in the 1990s with the advent of pulped natural coffees, the removal of the IBC, and the rise of the specialty industry that things really began to change. I would like to think that Casa Brasil has played a small part in that. Our team has spent years doing demos at supermarkets and coffee events serving quality Brazilian coffee and letting people know that if they like full-bodied sweet coffees, Brazil is for them.”

Which coffees do you select with Casa Brasil Coffees, which are your partners?

“Over the 15 years we have been doing this, we have made some great friends in Brazil. Some we have met at coffee competitions, some have been my students at Q Grader classes, and some we have sought out after being impressed with their quality and innovation. Some of our partners are the Magalhaes Paiva family at Fazenda Recanto;

Henrique Cambraia and his team at Fazenda Samambaia; Luiz Saldanha at Fazenda California, Alessandro Hervaz, Augusto Borges and Ademilson Noiman from APAS, Silvio Leite and his partners in the Chapada Diamantina region, Derio Brioschi in Espírito Santo; Francisco Guimarães, Gabriel Nunes, and the folks at DBarbosa Coffee and Daterra in the Cerrado; Diogo Dias in the Vale da Grama; Sebastião and his family from Sitio Baixadão… I know I am forgetting many and I hope they forgive me here.”

How are your relations with Brazilian farmers?
“Many of them are life-long friends. It’s about a lot more than coffee.”

Which roasting method do you use?
“We tend towards lighter roasts to bring out both the sweetness and the complexity of the coffees.”

Do you also deal with specialty coffees in your offer?
“Yes, we work exclusively with specialty coffees.”

And now, after 15 years of commitment, have you succeeded in bringing the culture of quality Brazilian beverages to Texas? At what price?

“I would like to think so. From Torchys Tacos to Uchiko to Central Market, you can walk into a lot of establishments in Central Texas and find incredible Brazilian coffees. Fifteen years ago that wasn’t the case. And we have been able to develop a solid following of Brazilian coffee fans over the years. They are what keep us going and we are very grateful.”

And outside these borders?
“Through casabrasilcoffees.com we hope to continue to turn people in the US on to Brazilian coffee and be a hub for those to share in this passion.”

What are your future plans as Casa Brasil Coffees?

“To keep doing what we are doing. I am happy to say that after 15 years the passion remains. Coffee is always changing, new cultivars, new regions focusing on specialty, new processing methods. We hope to keep exploring Brazilian coffee and sharing our journey.”

The post Joel Shuler: “With Casa Brasil Coffees, we focus on quality” appeared first on Comunicaffe International.

Aillio has donated a Bullet Roaster valued at 3,500 USD and Royal Coffee has set up a raffle page that’s open internationally

How does it work? Tickets are $10 each on the Roaster Coffee website or you can buy them also sending an email thecrown@royalcoffee.com showing the receipt for a donation directly to Grounds for Health made during the month of September. Then, the winner will be selected live at the Roaster Championship Preliminaries at The Crown in California on October 1st (that is luckily the International Coffee Day too).

What about the winner? This lucky (and generous) guy will receive a Aillio Bullet R1 V2, a very fetching 1kg capacity home/sample roaster of their very own

Royal Coffee will be matching donations up to $25,000, so every $10 ticket is effectively $20 for Grounds for Health.

bit.ly/royalcoffeexaillio link to direct people to the raffle page.

There is still some time to do your part and perhaps be among the lucky winners of the Aillio model. We remind that there’s no limit to the quantity of tickets to buy: you could increase the odds of taking home the $3,500 roaster in donating for a very good cause.

The post Royal Coffee and Aillio with Grounds for Health in an initiative against cancer appeared first on Comunicaffe International.

The “It’s Only Fair,” campaign features three videos connecting shoppers in the U.S. to smallholder cocoa farmers in West Africa and the dire issues farmers are facing around the world by disrupting people’s routines with the simple question, “How long would you work for $1?”

Because of the unfair and unjust realities of the global food market, many cocoa farmers work an entire day for between $0.78-$1.00[1].

That’s significantly below the international poverty line. Through this new campaign, Fairtrade America hopes to turn this big global issue into a more relatable problem, inspiring viewers to pause, reflect, learn and share about the impact unfair trade has on farmers and workers around the world.

Meet Two Fairtrade Farmers

Globally, cocoa and chocolate together are a $48.29 billion industry[2] that is expected to grow, yet cocoa farmers are currently battling inflation, rising production costs, the climate crisis and COVID-19 related challenges while the price they earn for cocoa hasn’t risen to meet these changes. As they navigate these challenges, they are asking for the same fair business practices and respect any entrepreneur would desire – a fair deal – so they can have a sustainable future in farming.

Smallholder, family-run farms with less than five acres of land and average yield between 1,300-1,760 lbs per year of cocoa provide 90% of the world’s cocoa beans[3]. The cocoa industry is an important source of revenue for about 50 million people, including 5 million farming households.[4] Two cocoa farmers from Ghana, Deborah Osei-Mensah and Solomon Boateng, share just how important it is to their families and communities to get a fair deal:

Deborah Osei-Mensah – Livelihood Development Officer of Ghana’s Asunafo North Farmers Union, leader of the union’s Monitoring and Evaluation Team and Fairtrade Youth Ambassador. “My cooperative produces cocoa and includes close to 10,000 cocoa farmers from 67 communities. I’m currently the Operations Manager in charge of child protection, gender and livelihood issues. Fairtrade has transformed me. While I used to be shy, I am now more confident both in my farming business and life. I’ve also seen first-hand the evolving business side of cocoa. In my role with Asunafo, I am honored to help train other women to diversify their incomes beyond cocoa, and I am working to achieve my Masters of Science in Environment, Water and Sustainability from the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana to be able to help my community better mitigate the challenges of climate change. My community and I ask for businesses to commit to supporting farmers in producing your cocoa and offer a fair deal; for consumers to be conscious about what they are consuming. Be fair, purchase fair and, with that, make the future fair – there’s just one world and we should be supporting each other within it.”

Solomon Boateng – Certification Risk Manager, Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union. “At Kuapa Kokoo, the Fairtrade Premium has been used in various ways for us to reinvest in our cocoa farms. The program is so important in terms of making sure our community has the resources that are necessary to combat challenges, like climate change. For example, last year we utilized our premium to distribute over 160,000 shade trees to our farmers in an effort to protect our cocoa trees from the rising temperatures in Ghana, and this year we are supplying more than 150,000. When you look at the cocoa pricing system, it’s clear that farmers are not getting what we should. We are asking businesses to do business with us – fair business. Farmers are business people and want the respect that those in America look for when doing business, too. With the newest challenge of inflation upon all of us, some producers are facing the issue of not being able to stay in production at all. Pay us a fair price for the work we do and goods we produce, especially if we want these goods to be around in the next few decades.”

Because of unfair trading practices, many farmers and workers around the world can’t make a living wage, no matter how hard they work. Extreme poverty can also lead to other problems, like deforestation and child labor. Farmers are forced to answer unthinkable questions, like “Should I preserve this forest? Or should I clear it to feed my family?” These problems aren’t new. For decades, corporations and governments have seen and ignored them or failed to address the root of the issue – poverty. The promising news is that as more and more consumers demand change, companies and governments will need to take action. A recent study found that shoppers in the U.S. are willing to pay up to 30% more per bar for Fairtrade chocolate[5], so why aren’t we?

“Farmers aren’t getting a fair deal. This is not only unjust, it is also unsustainable,” shared Peg Willingham, Executive Director of Fairtrade America. “Fairtrade believes that everyone deserves a decent standard of living. It’s only fair to pay a price that supports an existence worthy of human dignity.”

A recent report from Mainlevel Consulting and commissioned by Fairtrade found that Fairtrade positively impacts certified farmers and their communities when compared to non-Fairtrade certified farmers, particularly in times of difficulty and distress. However, researchers also identified significant challenges that risk undermining the gains Fairtrade farmers have achieved and that threaten their livelihoods. The advantages of the Fairtrade system are falling under increasing pressure from compounding global calamities such as the climate crisis, COVID-19, and prices that are too low to cover rising costs of farming and daily life. The study also warns that progress toward reducing poverty – as well as the goal of achieving living incomes – will be stalled, if not reversed, if farmers are not paid more.

“It’s Only Fair” Video Series

The 15-second videos at the heart of the campaign feature three scenarios, a barber shop, a tanning salon and a kid’s birthday party to show how long workers in the U.S. might work for just $1. No surprise – it’s not very long. Though the ads are humorous and meant to catch viewers’ attention quickly, the issues they tackle are complex and require all actors along the supply chain, including traders, governments, brands and consumers, to take action to ensure cocoa farmers are paid enough to have a decent living. With the videos, Fairtrade America is encouraging consumers to consider the impact that their purchasing decisions are having on others around the globe and spark conversations about what can be done to change the situation. Simple shifts, like choosing a chocolate bar with the green and blue Fairtrade Mark – a certification that shows farmers got a fairer deal and their commodities were sourced in compliance with Fairtrade’s rigorous environmental, social and economic Standards – during a trip to the grocery store can have a positive impact on the nearly 2 million farmers and workers participating in Fairtrade around the world.

“We hope these videos first get viewers to chuckle, and second help them consider how little $1 a day in pay truly is,” continued Willingham. “Farmers work extremely hard to produce our favorite goods like cocoa, coffee and bananas, while struggling with challenges like extreme weather from climate change and rising costs. We hope these videos get people talking about these issues and motivate them to make thoughtful purchases with people and the planet in mind whenever possible.”

Fairtrade America is asking consumers to share the videos and help spread the word about unfair trade practices by starting conversations with friends and loved ones about the benefits of Fairtrade. For those whose curiosity is piqued, Fairtrade is sharing more on these issues, as well as inspiring farmer stories and tips on how to start looking for and purchasing Fairtrade certified goods at www.fairtradeamerica.org/its-only-fair.

“Now, more than ever, we must listen to farmers and workers around the globe. As we continue to face inflation, we must consider those who make less than $1 per day producing the goods we often take for granted in the U.S. and how they are experiencing the same, and even worse, conditions. We hope these videos bring positive awareness to the need to pay farmers a living wage and ignite a call to action for change. Choose a fairer deal. Choose Fairtrade,” urged Willingham.

It’s Only Fair Giveaway

To further engage consumers interested in sharing the need for a fairer deal for farmers, starting today and through July 28, 2022, Fairtrade America is also hosting an, “It’s Only Fair”giveaway on Instagram. Through the giveaway, 15 randomly-selected winners will receive all they need to start a conversation about the dire need to choose Fairtrade, including Fairtrade certified products – Lidl Way to Go! Chocolate Bars; a bag of Gimme Coffee Stargazer blend; Navitas Organics Chocolate Cacao Power Snacks; Organic India Original Tulsi Tea and Tulsi Holy-Basil; and Renewal Mill Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – as well as a Bodum French Press, a Fairtrade cotton tote bag and conversation cards complete with compelling stats. Follow @fairtrademarkus on Instagram to learn more and enter to win.

About Fairtrade America

Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It’s about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all partnering so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the US chapter of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trading practices in more than 30 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is the world’s largest and most recognized fair trade system—part of a global movement for change. Learn more at fairtradeamerica.org, and by connecting with Fairtrade America on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

[1] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/cocoa-chocolate-supply-chain-business-bar-africa-exports/
[2] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/cocoa-and-chocolate-market-100075
[3] https://www.cocoalife.org/in-the-cocoa-origins and https://makechocolatefair.org/issues/cocoa-production-nutshell
[4] https://www.iisd.org/ssi/commodities/cocoa-coverage/
[5] https://www.fairtradeamerica.org/news-insights/new-study-reveals-fairtrade-america-is-gaining-awareness-and-trust-in-the-u-s/

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