2010 Travel

Whirlwind tour of El Salvador

As part of our new "Farmer-to-Farmer" roaster-producer exchange program, Coop Coffees spent a short but productive week in El Salvador visiting a number of small cooperatives. Each visit broadened our understanding of the daily struggle small-scale farmers continue to face in order to secure a stable and economically viable market for their products. During the course of a week, we -- Tripp Pomeroy of Café Campesino and Monika Firl of CoopCoffees -- pretty much covered the national territory.

The "B team" visits Chajul

Bongo Java just returned from a cold but productive trip to the Ixil triangle in Guatemala to visit producer partner La Asociacion Chajulense with students from Belmont University. The "Bee project" began in November of 2009 when Bongo and Belmont chipped in money to create a microloan fund for Chajul's honey-making project. Below, Tio Pistilli of Bongo Java explains the "Bee Project" as well as some of the other fascinating projects that Chajul is participating in.

Kickapoo cups across Honduras

Early in May, FLO Central America organized a tasting event in which they featured 13 Honduran coops and invited a couple North American importers/roasters to participate. Caleb Nicholes of Kickapoo Coffee traveled to Siguatepeque to take part in the event, in which he cupped 25 samples of Honduran coffee (a couple of which earned a rare 90 points on the SCAA quality scale!). He also got to venture out into the beautiful countryside, visiting the farms and communities of a couple of the participating coops. Coop Coffees doesn't currently buy coffee from Honduras but Caleb's visit certainly shows that it could be a very promising possibility!

Higher Grounds in the cradle of civilization

There could not be a starker contrast between the comfortable lives we lead in beautiful North America, and the struggles that play out daily in the village of Afursa Waro in Yrgacheffe, Ethiopia. The lives of our coffee growing friends is a world away from ours... as part of a US AID sponsored Farmer-to-Farmer technical volunteer visit Chris Treter of Higher Grounds looks at sustainable trading partnerships and how-to actions in development to help bridge those two worlds and create action for positive change for all.

Winding our way through Bolivia

Traveling "through the clouds" is not nearly as easy as it sounds. In altitudes of nearly 13,500 feet above sea level, nothing is easy for anyone coming from the average heights of North America. Add into the mix winding, dusty, busy roads alongside a precipice and you've got a recipe for a real... (scary) adventure!! Coop Sol staff, Florent Gout and intern, ShiYi, along with Brad Brandhorst from Larry's Beans, Mike Moon of Just Coffee experienced first-hand the harrowing drive and breathtaking landscape on the way to three communities where Coop Coffees partners are located during a US AID sponsored Farmer-to-Farmer technical volunteer visit in May. Once in Caranavi safe and sound, they were able to to discuss the coffee market, learn about current coop challenges... and enjoy a good dose of living like a local!

Revisiting Sumatra

Grueling travels to the Aceh Province in Sumatra: It begins with more than a full day of plane travel...then once you land, it's another 10-hour (more like 15 in reality!) bus ride to Takengon where the coops are based. But with every trip Coop Coffees makes to the region, we return knowing it was all worth it. In a country where the cooperative model is constantly being challenged and where "fair trade" has yet to grow deep roots, developing strong relationships there is a slow and complicated process. But like on that long and bumpy road in Aceh, we're determined to see this through...and we know it'll all be worth it!

JC Africa Delegation 2010