Sol y Café:
Sol y Café was founded in 2005, with support from the Caritas Jaen technical team. They quickly moved to acquire the necessary organic and sustainable trading certificates to sell into North America and Europe and grew from their initial 27 clusters of producer base groups to more than 60 producer associations bringing together some 1,000 farmer families. They continue to share an office space in the Caritas complex in Jaen, where they maintain a small warehouse and quality control lab.
Sol y Café has followed a steady growth plan, sticking to clear and strictly applied membership criteria. Members are expected to actively participate in the development of their cooperative and to contribute to its growth, by bringing in at least 51% of their estimated harvest.
For more information about Sol y Café, please click here.
PROCOCER Producer:
PROCOCER grew out of the Nicaraguan Small Farmers and Ranchers Union (UNAG) initiative to provide intensive technical assistance to individual, organic coffee producers in the municipalities of Jícaro, Murra, Ciudad Antigua, San Fernando y Jalapa. From that first experience, 150 participants decided to continue working collectively and establish their own organization. PROCOCER members held their first general assembly in October 1999 and the Cooperativa de Servicios Multiples was formally registered.
Today PROCOCER has approximately 600 members. Membership is open and voluntary; and the organization is controlled democratically with members actively participating in decision-making and policy making for the coop. Representatives are chosen from the farmer groups in their distinct geographical territories to participate in the delegates’ assembly, and required to report back directly to the communities they represent...
For more information about PROCOCER, please click here.
