• Colonial Caranavi, Bolivia
• ASOBAGRI, Guatemala
• Divisoria, Peru
• PPKGO, Sumatra, Indonesia
• Cafe Cooperativa Timor (CCT)East Timor
• La Pluma Trinidad, Mexico
• PRODECOOP, Nicaragua
• OCFCU, Ethiopia
• Cosurca, Colombia
• KWAY Organic Coffee Farmers Co-operative, Papua New Guinea
• Association of Small Producers of Poco Fundo, Brazil
• Coocafe, Costa Rica
• FAPECAFES, Ecuador

Colonial Caranavi, Bolivia

Located 12 hours from La Paz, Bolivia, several small communities lie along the southern end of the expansive Andes Mountain chain. Farmers in these communities are known as colonials because in the 1950s wealthy and large landowners took over this region and confiscated property from native people and forced them to work. In 1991 through a governmental land reform, the larger landowners were made to return their landholdings to their rightful owners. These smaller scale farmers now have title to their own land and have freedom to improve their lives in the way they choose.

Approximately 41 small coffee producers participate in this coffee co-operative. They have worked with a Bolivian organic organization to learn ways to improve their cultivation practices, increase production and improve the quality of their product. With these efforts they hope to receive a better price and to help preserve and improve their environment.

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Located in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala, ASOBAGRI was founded in 1989 by 20 K'anjob'al Mayan coffee and cardamon farmers. It has grown to 614 cooperative members. Despite regional political instability and poverty, ASOBAGRI grew steadily throughout the 1990s. The cooperative became certified by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) in 1999. ASOBAGRI has used revenue from Fair Trade sales to:

• Promote literacy. Approximately 100 students from four communities participate in reading and writing workshops. • Diversify crops and income. A recent apiculture project has yielded honey that is now sold in local markets. In order to develop alternative sources of income, cooperative members have begun intercropping banana and citrus trees with coffee plants.

• Support sustainable agriculture.ASOBAGRI trains agricultural promotors, who teach farmers about organic production methods, such as creating compost from coffee cherry waste.

• Invest in quality control. A new warehouse was recently constructed for coffee storage. The cooperative educates farmers on milling, drying, and sorting according to quality guidelines.

• Support healthcare. ASOBAGRI has created a healthcare program that assists member families in covering emergency medical costs.

(source: www.transfairusa.org)

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Divisoria is located in the Eastern mountain range of Peru commonly called the "Blue Mountain Range." The altitude of this typically humid area ranges from 1,200 to 1,800 metres. The Cooperative has 289 members in 15 grower communities. Their objective is to promote the development of their members,their families and community.

We are pleased to announce that in 2008 we will be providing support to Divisoria to provide cupping and quality control training for all 289 producers. Two farmers from each group will also receive advanced cupping training to become local experts to help implement effective quality control for their producer group.

To support the decentralization of cupping skills to the community level, the project will provide two small cupping labs in the communities of San Isidro and Santa Rosa Tealera. By installing the new cupping labs, any problem areas will be identified sooner and corrected int he community. This will help farmers avoid major losses during the harvest due to problems with post-harvest processing. We look forward to starting our fundraising efforts for this project in the fall.

Divisoria fairly traded and organic beans can be enjoyed in our Peruvian Medium Roast and our Espresso.

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Bridgehead purchases its Sumatran coffee from the Gayo Organic Coffee Farmers Association (or PPKGO) co-op. The co-op has 1,832 members spread across 24 communities in the Takengon Gayo highlands of Aceh province. Milling, warehousing and export services are all handled in Banda Aceh.

In a predominantly devout Muslim area, PPKGO, founded in 1997, is comprised of 20% women and maintains an ethnically diverse composition. Despite years of political unrest and civil strife in the region the partnership between members of PPKGO and CV Trimaju, an Aceh based coffee processor, has continued to produce, process and export high quality 100% shade-grown, organic and Fair Trade Sumatran coffee.

Bridgehead raised $7,440 to help our Sumatran growers rebuild local coffee processing facilities that were damaged or destroyed in the devastating earthquake of December 2004 and subsequent aftershocks. The money was raised three ways: by customers that purchased Tsunami Recovery Blend for which Bridgehead donated $4 per pound; by staff at our Gilmour coffeehouse that donated their tips for two weeks, and by customers that donated their ‘free’ coffee from their brew card to Coffee Kids. The Bridgehead donation was directed to the rehabilitation of 10 local coffee processing facilities.

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East Timor has endured death and destruction for many years due to a devastating civil war that began in 1974 and a forceful take over by the Indonesian government. During the years of destruction, the coffee crop shrunk from 45,000 to roughly 6,000 tons of Arabica beans per year. Much of the crop was poor quality because of the poor care of coffee trees and drying process that was used to prepare the beans. In addition, during the years of Indonesian annexation and until 1994, coffee exports from East Timor yielded a very low return for farmers.

Change began for East Timor coffee farmers with the help of the Holland Coffee Group that broke the coffee monopoly and set up washing stations through coffee producing areas. As a result, coffee quality and exportable production has improved. Farmers earned 15 times more in 1998 than they did in 1994. These are small but important steps in helping to rebuild a country that may take decades to recover from its economic and physical devastation.

Enjoy East Timor as a single origin or in our Espresso blend.

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Two years after farmers established La Trinidad in 1998, the coop began selling its coffee to the Fair Trade market. It now has 250 members who have seen their income increase dramatically and have already used Fair Trade premiums to improve their coffee production techniques.

To date, the co-op has:
- Improved its processing plants and washing tanks
- Started a tree nursery to renew its coffee plants
- Established a savings program so farmers can get loans to invest in their farms

Members of La Trinidad hope that with a few more years of selling to the Fair Trade market, they will be able to implement social, educational and health programs for the community as a whole. They are also planning to use Fair Trade premiums to diversify their crops so they are not reliant on a single crop for their income.

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The 71 farmer co-operatives that make up the Promoter of Co-operative Development in the Segovia’s (PRODECOOP) are known for their extraordinary ability to prevail in the midst of countrywide chaos and are a testimony to the power that small-scale farmers have when they organize in a co-operative. For example, when bank representatives threatened foreclosure on a farmer's land, 30 local co-ops demanded negotiations between the bank and the farmer and issued their own threat of nonpayment on their loans. By virtue of their size and financial clout, the members were able to force the bank to back down and renegotiate the farmer's loan. PRODECOOP has grown to 2,420 active members and ships more than 50 containers a year.

Proceeds from coffee sold to Bridgehead have aided PRODECOOP in providing the economic stability necessary to survive amidst the unstable political and economic environments of the 1990s. In 1999, Bridgehead, along with its customers and community sellers, raised $5000 to help PRODECOOP’s members repair the extensive damage done by Hurricane Mitch and get their coffee to market.

PRODECOOP organic beans can be enjoyed in our Nicaraguan Light and Dark roasts.

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Ethiopia – the birthplace of coffee, and now the first African country to bring organic and fairly traded Arabica coffee to North America.

Some 20,000 small-scale coffee farmers in the Ethiopian state called Oromia organized themselves into 34 local co-operatives, and then united those co-operatives into the Oromia Coffee Farmers Co-operative Union (OCFCU).

OCFCU is pleased to bring the organic heirloom “Limu” variety to North America through Bridgehead. The Limu beans are selected from only four of the 34 farmer co-ops in the union: Limu Sadacha, Choche Guda, Haro, and Afata Wanja. About 4,000 members from these 4 co-ops - each working only a hectare or two of land - are proud to share their heirloom delicacy with you. OCFCU also grows our Limited Edition Ethiopian Sidama beans.

Their land is perfect for coffee, grown under a natural shade canopy at altitudes of at least 1450 metres above sea level. In fact, it was on the very land now used by the Choche Guda co-operative that the first coffee plants were discovered many years ago.

Through the co-op and co-op union structures, individual farmers enjoy economies of scale by collaborating on coffee processing, warehousing, and transport. As well, they share in the profits from direct export sales to fair trade buyers that bypass the traditional auction market. The co-op union also provides learning opportunities so farmers can continuously improve coffee quality and processing techniques.

Uremia’s Limu coffee is known for its fruity, winery tones and overall good balance in a combination unmatched anywhere else in the world. OCFCU joined the Transfer registry in June 2001 and is certified organic by BCS OKO-Guarantee GMBH, Germany.

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The Empresa Cooperativa del Sur del Cauca (COSURCA) was established in 1993 to represent farmers in the South Cauca and Macizo region of Colombia. Cosurca represents a total of 13 primary cooperatives and associations of which 10 produce coffee. In 2004 Cosurca established its export arm, Expocosurca, to offer premium quality Colombian coffee direct to international markets, including the North America, Europe and Australia.

Cosurca aims to strengthen the local smallholder economy and to promote alternative development principally through the sale of coffee. Premium markets, including Fairtrade and Organic, allow us to meet these aims. In addition to paying sustainable prices to farmers we also offer technical assistance to ensure that the quality meets the premium standards expected by our customers. These activities are carried out in a region where the presence of armed political groups and the illegal cultivation of coca (the raw material for cocaine) has created high levels of instability. Our products are therefore a peaceful and legitimate alternative.

The coffee in this region of Colombia is distinguished from other Colombian coffees by a delicacy and sweetness. The reasons for this is the ideal soil and climate combination. The remoteness of the area meant that the region was not subject to the intensification program to increase yields in Colombia during the 1960s and 1970s. The result is more variation in coffee varieties and more shade grown coffee.

Elevation: 900 to 1700 metres above sea level

Harvest: primarily April to September

Varietals: Caturra, Tipica, Colombia

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Our Papua New Guinea coffee is grown near the villages of Aseki and Menyamya located in the Morobe District. Aseki and Menyamya are reachable only by a seven-hour 4-wheel drive excursion from Lae or by small plane. These villages have been using sustainable farming methods for over 25 years. Coffee is the only source of revenue for the people in this region and is grown by individual families on small blocks of three to four thousand trees each. There are 600 hundred active members of KWAY selected as "model farmers" from 14,000 certified organic farmers. The Coffee is grown at 1,600 meters in altitude and sun dried and processed at an Organic Certified facility located in Port Moresby.

KWAY co-operative has used the money gained from fair trade and organic coffee sales to build and establish a new elementary school, create wider access to the village water supply, and establish a women's-based NGO that promotes awareness for family health and nutrition.

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Our Brazilian beans come from the Association of Small Producers of Poco Fundo, Brazil. Most of the member farms are 2 hectares or less and range in altitude from 600 to 1,300 metres. The variety of Arabica beans grown is bourbon, natural. Our dark roast profile brings out a sweet, smoky aroma. In the cup we describe it as a full-bodied coffee with earthy cocoa overtones.

The Fair Trade price has enabled Poço Fundo to establish various social and productive programs:

Education. Poço Fundo implemented a computer education program for children.

Productive Investment. The co-op has built a storage and processing facility, and purchased tractors and other new equipment.

Environment. Poço Fundo has been able to continue its sustainable agriculture training program for co-op members.

Health. The co-op has used Fair Trade revenue to broaden healthcare coverage for co-op members and their families, including a dental care program that provides basic cleanings and orthodontic retainers for children.

Home Improvements. Poço Fundo has expanded the local electricity network.

source: www.transfairusa.org

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Coopeldos spans roughly 14 kilometers and includes close to 450 farms of typically 1.5 hectares each. The coop reaches up to 1200 meters and is close to Monteverde, known for its protected biodiverse forests. It is a beautiful bumpy drive from the wet processing mill deep in the valley, up along sweeping farmed hills, to the highest points which over look the Gulf of Nicoya.

One of the farms nestled high above the Gulf belongs to Jorge Arguedas. He has owned his three hectare, organic farm for 10 years. He spoke about his farm with great pride and explained to us the work involved in pruning back the bushes every five years to ensure cherry production even though it renders the bushes fruitless for two years. The result of this labour is healthy and productive coffee bushes surrounded by shade and fruit trees that help to feed his family year round.

Founded in 1971, the Coopeldos now has close to 600 members. The solid infrastructure you see at the coop from wet mill to the primary school are a testimony to the success of their democratic processes. Growers give four percent of their coffee revenue to the coop for infrastructure improvements like the wet and dry mill facilities. 40 to 60 percent of the coop’s profit is allocated to social projects, for example:

• Improvements to the primary school
• Educational scholarships for secondary, college, and university education
• Forestation project which grows 60,000 coffee, fruit, and shade tree seedlings a year
• Health care facilities

Coopeldos was the first cooperative in Central America to receive ISO 14001 and 9001 certifications for high quality and environmental considerations in processing.

Despite its success, Coopeldos faces several challenges particularly on the organic side of the business which requires more labour, but less capital. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find enough labour in an area that is losing its youth to more prosperous jobs in neighbouring tourist areas. At the moment only 20 percent of Coopeldos farms are organic, yet only 5 percent of the coop’s production is organic. Currently demand for organic coffee is far greater than the supply. Although all of Coopeldos operates under fair trade principles it is able to sell only 55% of its production as fair trade certified coffee.

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Since 2002, The Federacion Regional de Asociaciones de Pequeños Cafetaleros Ecológicos del Sur del Ecuador (FAPECAFES) has a unique goal: To gather all the small coffee growers of the southern region, that have been associated in five groups: APECAM, APECAP, APEOSAE, PROCAFEQ Y PROCAP, improving the life conditions of thousands of family coffee growers. Their mission is to improve our member´s life conditions while presenting high quality products to a variety of market niches by:

• Offering technical and organizational assistance to our members
• Strengthening our organization and production
• Coordinating initiatives from public and private organizations
• Continuously improving the quality of our product through new harvest and post-harvest technologies

“It’s important to be part of an Association. It’s a good platform from which to go forward. If we are not very well organized, we usually walk without any horizon. Furthermore, it offers us the resources for production, with liable guarantees and without interests” Mr. Manuel Jimenez, member of APECAP. “

The south region of Ecuador has the best conditions to grow a high quality coffee with altitudes up to 2100m, average temperatures varying from 18 and 24 degrees and an average yearly rain of 1.200 ml. These advantageous climatic and ecological conditions assure the quality of FAPECAFES coffee along with a quality assurance process along the coffee production chain, starting from the post-harvest until its processing at their factory in Catamayo.

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