Coffee
Background
87% of Americans consider themselves 'obsessed' with coffee, whilst in the UK, £1bn was spent on coffee in 2022 alone. Over two billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide, every day, asserting the brew as one of the most popular drinks in the world, second only to water!
From humble beginnings growing wild within Ethiopian forests in the 9th century, this powerhouse of a product is now grown in over 70 countries, the largest of which being Brazil, Columbia and Kenya.
Today, the coffee industry supports over 120 million people across the globe, and 80% of the world's coffee supply is produced by 25 million smallholders: the very people we support with your investments.
Our Portfolio
In terms of lending products, coffee continues to dominate our portfolio, accounting for just under half of all finance provision. This is representative of the scale of Fairtrade coffee production, with more than half of all Fairtrade certified producers growing this commodity due to its accessibility and profitability.
BUKONZO
Based in Kasese town in western Uganda, Bukonzo Organic Farmers Co-operative Union was founded by six organic coffee farmers who were keen to spread their message of environmental awareness. They began trading in 2011 and became a Shared Interest customer in 2014. Today, their membership has risen to almost 2,000 members. The co-operative has made a huge impact on the community, particularly on the lives of women, as they are now becoming more involved with coffee production. Traditionally a ‘man’s crop’, Bukonzo is one of the few coffee co-operatives in Africa which is managed by women.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting Bukonzo by directly purchasing their product? From the slopes of the Rwenzori Mountains, Coffee Buzz bring you the premium, Fair Trade and Certified Organic coffee produced by Bukonzo members. The coffee arrives in whole bean, coarse, medium or fine grinds and carries a rich caramel finish with notes of red cherry, making for the perfect espresso. Click the button below to purchase this unique, world class coffee from Uganda.
Bukonzo coffee is also available to purchase from Moka Origins here, Roasted Bean here or Trevaskis Farm here.
CAFESCOR
The high altitude and rich soils found in the Copán region of Honduras help farmers here to produce some of the highest quality beans in Central America. In 2014, 25 farmers came together with the ambition to export this premium quality coffee to customers worldwide. They became known as CAFESCOR, and since then they have grown their membership to over 400 coffee farmers. In 2019, they became a Shared Interest customer and began to focus their efforts on enhancing the quality of their coffee even further, and as a result, improving the quality of life for farmers.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting CAFESCOR by directly purchasing their product? Relatively new to specialty coffee processing in western Honduras, CAFESCOR has quickly made a reputation that is turning heads. The success starts with a well-defined plan for centralizing the collective efforts of more than 400 member-producers. With a centralized wet-mill designed to receive cherries from all of its members, processing consistency is stellar.
CAFESCOR has a fully staffed cupping lab equipped to cup through every lot and ensure consistent quality. CAFESCOR has also worked collectively to establish a number of norms required for certification, including organic certification. The coffee has a flavor profile of lemonade, cantaloupe, walnut, brown sugar and bittersweet chocolate. To purchase CAFESCOR coffee and read more about how the co-op ensures detailed processing, quality and environmental stewardship in its coffee production practices, then click on the button below.
CAPUCAS
In 1999, the Co-operative Cafetalera Capucas Limitada (Capucas) was formed by a group of 55 farmers who wanted to grow good quality coffee and create a better quality of life for people living in the region of Las Capucas, Honduras. We began our relationship with the co-operative in 2015, when we approved a Commercial Export Credit (COEC) facility, which meant that Capucas could support farmers on the run up to harvest time. Capucas now have 33 employees and work with 919 farmers. Despite several years of suffering low international coffee prices, Capucas is one of the few co-operatives in Honduras to maintain a high level of Fairtrade exports, and they have a reputation for creating a significant social impact.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting Capucas by purchasing their coffee? The coffee is harvested at its optimum ripeness and handed in at the co-operative. It is then washed, dried in a solar dryer, and stored in parchment before being trucked to the port of Puerto Cortés. Capucas were the first in the country to build a facility to dry microlots on a large scale with solar dryers.
The blend available here was created using cherries from multiple smallholders that deliver to Capucas, all located on the fringes of the Celaque National Park in the Copán region. Each blend is made of cherries that were picked and delivered to the co-operative on the same day. The cherries are mixed according to criteria such as altitude and certifications. This coffee is said to be elegant, with notes of citrus, berry and apple, medium acidity and a hint of dark chocolate, working well as a filter or as an espresso.
CECAFE
Established in 2006 by 80 coffee producers, and a Shared Interest customer since 2013, CECAFE unites 852 farmers in the Amazonas region of Peru, who believe that their coffee is a symbol of wellbeing. The co-operative produces high quality Fairtrade and organic beans, grown amidst rainforest and mountain ranges.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting CECAFE by directly purchasing their product? B2Peru stock CECAFE's range of coffees in 300g sizes, including toasted, roasted and collector varieties available for export. Click the button below to find out more.
CECANOR
Whilst women have always been crucial to coffee production in Peru, men traditionally held the economic power. In 2004, 464 female Peruivan coffee producers united to change this, and take a step towards empowerment. The women of Cecanor are proud to be the originators of the Café Femenino programme, which now includes thousands of women farmers from nine countries across the world. Shared Interest are equally as proud to have supported Cecanor since 2012.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting CECANOR by directly purchasing their product? The Café Femenino project was always about giving hope to women in coffee producing countries throughout the world. Many of these women may have experienced abuse, abandonment and poverty, yet, despite these difficulties, they strive for a better life.
Today, in these communities of Northern Peru, in the region of Lambayeque, a better tomorrow is dawning, and above all, represented by the quality product created by these women - now sold with its own label: CAFÉ FEMENINO. The coffee is said to carry a balanced, rounded taste with full body, a bright acidity and complemented by cocoa, chocolate and nutty notes. Click on the button below to support the women of Cecanor and purchase their coffee, available in 225g and 900g sizes.
Purchase CECANOR Coffee
COCAGI
Coffee Co-operative of Gichoma (COCAGI) is a coffee growers’ co-operative located in the Gishoma district of western Rwanda. They started out as an association of coffee producers in 2002, in the same year the Rwandan National Coffee Strategy was launched to promote the production of high quality specialty coffee. Two years later, they formally registered as a co-operative with the support of the PEARL project to help the country generate agricultural revenue after the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Shared Interest has supported COCAGI since 2009, providing loans to expand their washing stations and to buy a truck to transport coffee cherries from the buying centres.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting COCAGI by purchasing their coffee? Although sold out across the internet because of its unique qualities, Blueprint Coffee currently offers COCAGI sourced coffee as a limited release and a one-of-a-kind flavor experience.
This coffee comes from a women's group operating within the COCAGI co-operative named 'Rwanda Agasaro'. Established in 2018, Agasaro was the first women’s group within the cooperative. COCAGI has since added a second women’s group named Susuruka. Members are educated in growing and farming practices, as well as quality assessment.
Blueprint delivers a women’s premium for Agasaro’s coffee, transferring funds directly to the members' bank accounts to ensure they receive their wages. Artisan also started an internship within COCAGI to support young women with their undergraduate degrees. COCAGI is more than just a coffee producer: they are key players in social justice and development within Rwanda, as they aim to improve the lives of the women in their workforce through equitable wages, access to education and professional opportunities — empowering them to be decision-makers in their community.
With this product, Blueprint Coffee wants to recognize COCAGI for their commitment to transparency, traceability, and equity - as do we. This offering from Agasaro is a full-bodied and fruity washed coffee, with notes of green apple, raisin, and cranberry. Click the button below to purchase.
COOPARM
COOPARM (Cooperativa Agraria Rodríguez de Mendoza) is a coffee co-operative located in the province of Rodríguez de Mendoza, in the Amazonas region. The co-operative was founded in 1991 by 100 farmers and obtained organic and Fairtrade certifications in 2008. In 2010, COOPARM became a Shared Interest customer when we provided finance to support the co-operative in exporting their coffee.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting COOPARM by directly purchasing their product? In 2015, MAYORGA partnered with the COOPARM co-operative and became their first ever direct U.S. roaster to purchase their coffee. You can make a subscription or a one-time purchase of the Peruvian coffee in 12oz, 2lb or 5lb sizes, as whole bean, course, medium or fine grinds.
"This is probably the best coffee ever! I love my coffee and after years of searching I have found the perfect blend of flavors for my taste. Smooth, rich, delicious coffee."
~ Customer Review via MAYORGA website.
KIBINGE
Kibinge Coffee Farmers’ Co-operative Society Ltd. is named after the region in which it is located in Central Uganda, about 150 kilometres from the capital, Kampala. The region is renowned for its high-quality Robusta coffee. Founded by four coffee farmers in 1995, Kibinge was registered as a coffee farmers’ co-operative in 2009. Two years later, they obtained Fairtrade certification and in September 2012, Shared Interest supported Kibinge in pre-financing 13 contracts with international Fairtrade buyers.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting Kibinge by trying out their coffee? The co-operative has remained undaunted in its mission to see more Ugandans drink their own coffee. In November 2019, the co-operative began selling their branded coffee on Jumia – a top online marketplace operating in Africa. Initially, consumers would only order small quantities (50g). Now, Kibinge receive larger orders because buyers have sampled the product and given it five-star ratings. This award winning Ugandan coffee is said to have a caramelised, vanilla-chocolate, bittersweet, flavour with moderate acidity, a smooth, round body, a sweet aroma and a pleasant after taste.
Unfortunately, it seems that it is not possible to purchase Kibinge coffee through Jumia outside of Africa, but stay tuned for updates! Kibinge also utilise a dedicated Whatsapp phone number to receive and act on order enquiries. Click on the link below to find out more about how you can support Kibinge.
KOAKAKA
In the Southern Province of Rwanda, three coffee farmer associations came together in 1999 with the purpose of strengthening their position in the local coffee sector and increasing their access to international markets. This union was formalised in 2002 and they named themselves KOAKAKA (Koperative y’ abahinzi ba Kawa Karaba) (The Co-operative of Coffee Growers of Karaba). From 867 farmers, the co-operative now has 1,316 members. Shared Interest has supported KOAKAKA since 2013.
Products from the Producer
Interested in supporting KOAKAKA by purchasing their coffee? Members of the Koakaka Co-operative are trained to select only the very ripest coffee cherries from their trees. During the harvest, cherries are delivered daily by foot, bicycle or truck to the Karambi Washing Station, where they are then sorted by weight and pulped on the same day using a mechanical pulper. Then, the coffee is fermented overnight in tiled tanks, without water, and then graded again using floatation channels that sort the coffee by weight (heaviest usually being the best).
The beans are then soaked in clean water for a further 14 hours, before being moved to raised screens for ‘wet-sorting’ by hand; a task which is almost always carried out by women. The sorted beans are finally dried in the sun on raised screens (‘African beds’) for two weeks. During this period, the coffee is turned several times a day by hand to ensure the coffee dries evenly and consistently. Once dry, the coffee beans are stored in parchment until they are ready for milling and export. The coffee is then sent to the Nyamagabe District, where Koakaka recently built a dry mill, and prepared for export.
KOAKAKA coffee is commended for its bright and floral notes, with rose hip and vanilla fragrances. Tastes of cherry, lemon and milk chocolate also embody the cup, resulting in a highly sought after end-product that is one of the highest rated coffees in Rwanda. You can purchase KOAKAKA coffee by clicking the button below.