We are committed to work directly with small farmers cooperatives in a long term. We visit the coop at least once a year. Currently we are working with coops from Ethiopia, Honduras, Colombia, Peru, India, Sumatra, Guatemala and Ecuador. Here you can find an overview of the coops we worked with over the last years.
Taramesa, Ethiopia
The cooperative Taramesa located in the region Sidama, around 300 km south of the capital Addis Ababa. With 2330 members it is quite huge, but one person manages an average of only 0.5 hectares. In 2014, the cooperative has produced three containers of green coffee and already sixth in the year 2015.
Taramesa is part of SCFCU (Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union) – short Sidama Union. As in Ethiopia, the coffee trade is nationalized, it is only possible by means of the Sidama Union to conclude contracts with the cooperatives. The Sidama Union works very transparent and gives technical and financial support for the coops.
Altitude: 1.800 – 1.900 m
Location: District of Shebedino, Sidama
Processing: Arabica, natural
Website: www.sidamacoffee.com
Organic Wayanad, India
Wayanad Organic Agricultural Development Society (Organic Wayanad) is a cooperative of more than 400 organic farmers, living in the region of Wayanad, in the Malabar-Mountains on the lush green Western Ghats of India.
The farmer family practice a highly bio-diverse, small-scale cropping system with among other coffee, spices like pepper, gloves, nutmeg and ginger, fruit trees and vegetables. This system is based on traditional scientifically improved practices, called zero budget farming. They apply manure from local cow varieties, vermi-compost, neem cake etc. regularly at the onset of South West Monsoon in June. Berry borer is a major pest of Robusta coffee and it is effectively managed by adopting integrated methods like clean harvest, use of mats during harvest to prevent gleanings (fallen cherries) and keeping traps in the farms.
With the start of its co-operation with ROASTERS UNITED in 2014, Organic Wayanad started a centralized eco-friendly coffee processing which since then has been constantly improved. ROASTERS UNITED supported this process with knowledge transfer, technical support and financial assistance. The resulting washed Robusta coffee is exclusively reserved ROASTERS UNITED and counts apparently among of the best organic Robusta coffees in the world.
Altitude: 750 – 850 m
Location: State of Kerala, District of Wayanad
Processing: Canephora (Var. robusta, CxR), (semi-)washed
Website: www.iofpcl.com
Permata Gayo, Sumatra
The story of Permata Gayo in northern Sumatra began in 2006 in the middle of the period after the 2004 tsunami and after the peace agreement in Helsinki in 2005 between the Government of Indonesia and “Free Aceh” (Aceh province).
The cooperative started as a group of 50 founding members and now has over 2.000 members in 36 different villages, located in the region Bener Meriah. Permata Gayo is one of the few cooperatives in Sumatra who strive consistently democratic governance and fight corruption. The quality control is improving from year to year and a nursery, compost plants and improved processing facilities were installed. For the “lean months” between harvests, the cooperative provides programs to ensure sufficient supplies for the members.
Altitude: 1.200 – 1.600m
Location: Gayo Highland Region – Bener Meriah
Processing: Arabica, washed
Website: www.pgc-roaster.web.id
APPAECE, Guatemala
The „Asociacion de Pequeños Productores Entre Cerros” (APPAECE) is located in the San Marcos area and has only 26 members, who only have small areas for their farming and growing coffee. They are very successful in cultivating sustainable coffee to obtain and protect the surrounding ecosystem. Tropical temperatures and the mixture of volcanic and clay soil have a positive impact on the character of the coffee, which reaches the highest level of quality for Arabicas.
Altitude: 1.700m
Location: Aldea Barranca Grande
Processing: Arabica, washed
Website: www.appaece.galeon.com
Cenfrocafe, Peru
The cooperative Cenfrocafe was founded in 2005 and is located in northern Peru, not far from the Ecuadorian border. With the support of neighbouring cooperatives, they tried to provide a basis for the many small coffee producers in this rugged region, around the city of Jaén. Today, the cooperative has 2.500 members. In 2010, the cooperative has launched a huge program for quality improvement: Workshops were offered, technical and agricultural consultants where trained. Meanwhile Cenfrocafe is very important, when it comes to organic coffee production with high qualities in Peru.
Altitude: 1.600 – 2.000 m
Location: Jaén, Cajamarca
Processing: Arabica, washed
Website: www.cenfrocafe.com.pe