Café Orígenes was founded in 2021 in response to the increasingly evident reality that coffee growers in the Lacco Valley have not benefited from the economic growth of the speciality coffee industry. The cooperative's mission is to sell traceable, ethically sourced speciality coffee and to ensure fair pay for producers who are often excluded from the traditional coffee value chain. Today, it supports 64 coffee growers and their families.
Mapacho communities consist of small-scale Andes farmers whose identities are directly connected to their territories. They live off the land in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem and its biodiversity, in a way of life centred on community sustainability. Café Orígenes uses its profits to help more farmers increase their income through specialised agroecology training, a method of sustainable farming that works with the natural landscape. This training improves the quality of life in farmers' communities, increasing their income by enabling them to sell high-quality products from their own land.
The cooperative also places great emphasis on encouraging youth and women's participation in speciality coffee production. Specifically, the Café Orígenes women's committee is engaged in an empowerment program to support local women to access healthcare, literacy and soft skills training, farming knowledge, and quality jobs within the cooperative. To date, over 40 local women have participated in the workshops.
Café Orígenes recognises the importance of environmental conservation and has supported its producers in increasing their productivity and income by 46% by promoting shade-grown coffee methods, soil recovery, and agroforestry projects. These initiatives conserve local biodiversity and support farmers to adapt to climate change.
Programme support
During the programme, the Café Orígenes team will be supported in consolidating its management team, improving its human resources practices, and enhancing its financial management. We’ll support the cooperative to create a business strategy for both international and local markets, with a strong focus on building a brand that highlights the traceability and sustainability of its coffee.
