Get involved with Project Coop Rio Azul

Guatemala Huehuetenango Fair Trade Organic
“whey-whey-ten-ango”

This bean has a mellow aroma and snappy acidic taste.  This complements a rich body and a semi - sweet chocolate flavor with subtle notes of fruit.   We at Third Coast Coffee thoroughly enjoy this coffee, as well as the relationship we have with Coop Rio Azul, the farmer cooperative that produces it.

The cooperative, aided by the international relief organization Oxfam, hired Ramon Delgado Sanchez in 2003 to manage operations.  This he has done admirably, also guiding members through the transition to organic certification for their crops and keeping the cooperative together through the significant challenges brought by Hurricane Stan.

However, the five-year contract of Oxfam’s subsidy to the coop is running out in September 2008, which means that Ramon and his wet mill manager will lose funding for their salaries.  If this happens, the coop loses its management and will likely have to close its doors.  We do not want this to happen.

We’ve hung out with Ramon and his staff, and we want to help them.  To do this, we have decided that one dollar from every pound of this delicious Fair Trade Organic coffee sold will go to paying Ramon and his wet mill manager’s salaries.

Be a part – take home some of his coop’s wonderful coffee today and help keep Ramon working!  Make your dollar make a difference.  Be sure to ask us about other ways to get involved.
Thank you,

Linda Ryan, Joe Lozano, Clay Roper
The Third Coast Coffee Roasting Team

Fast Facts on Coop Rio Azul

• 186 Members - 35 are women - All live near Jacaltenango
• 76 Members are enrolled in the organic certification program
• 10 are in transition to organic
• Annual Production - Approximately 160,000 pounds of green coffee
• Founded in 1967, Joined FLO register in 1992, Organic Cert in 2005
• 28 members in bee keeping project -over 15,000 lbs of honey
• Local Language - Mayan group Jacaltec often called Popti
• Annual assembly is within the 3 first month of the year
• Its anniversary is on December 12
• In 2007, exported 7 containers of FT organic coffee and 3 transitional
• For 2008, they plan to export 7.5 containers of FT org and 3.5 transitional