The Co-ops We Work With

ACODIHUE is a Fair Trade and Organic certified organization established in 1996. The cooperative is made up of top-level associations and community committees representing individual producers throughout western Guatemala.

The organization promotes respect for rural life, cultural diversity, gender equity, and religious beliefs while working to reduce poverty and food insecurity among its members. Through partnerships with national and international organizations, ACODIHUE supports projects focused on healthcare, education, food security, agricultural production, gender equity, and environmental restoration.

Today, ACODIHUE serves sixteen municipalities in Huehuetenango, along with two municipalities in San Marcos and two in Totonicapán, representing more than 40,000 farmers.

Much of the coffee comes from indigenous women producers farming in the mountainous Cuchumatanes region at elevations averaging around 1,500 meters (4,920 feet). Coffee is traditionally processed using natural fermentation, careful hand selection, and sun drying.

Huehuetenango, located in western Guatemala near the Mexican border, is considered one of Latin America's premier coffee-growing regions. High elevations, abundant fresh water, ideal climate conditions, and traditional coffee varieties combine to produce coffees ranging from rich chocolate-forward profiles to vibrant fruit-driven microlots.

Coffee cherries are typically picked at peak ripeness and depulped the same day or shortly after harvest. Depending on local climate conditions, the coffee ferments naturally for approximately 12–48 hours before the remaining mucilage is washed away. The beans are then dried on patios or raised beds until reaching optimal moisture levels.

Spearfish Coffee Roasters sources this coffee from producer groups located near the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in southern Chiapas, Mexico. Within this protected region lies the Comon Yaj Noptic Cooperative, founded in 1995 by indigenous smallholder farmers. The cooperative's name translates to "All of Us Think."

Today approximately 160 producers belong to the cooperative, benefiting from ideal growing conditions including rich volcanic soils, high elevations, and traditional coffee varieties such as Typica, Bourbon, and Caturra.

The cooperative earned Organic certification in 2003 and Fair Trade certification in 2009.

This particular lot is produced exclusively by women members of the cooperative. Premium payments go directly toward programs supporting gender equity and expanding opportunities for women within the region.

Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost coffee-growing region, bordering Guatemala and encompassing much of the protected El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve. Dense cloud forests, abundant rainfall, and generations of farming tradition create ideal conditions for specialty coffee production. Small farming communities have organized into cooperatives that strengthen market access while preserving environmentally responsible growing practices.

Coffee cherries are generally depulped the same day they are harvested before undergoing a 12–18 hour fermentation. Following fermentation, the beans are thoroughly washed to remove the remaining mucilage before drying on patios or in mechanical dryers until stable moisture levels are reached.

Lima Coffees is led by Rony Lavan, an accomplished cupper and coffee professional dedicated to helping Peru's small producers achieve higher quality and greater recognition within specialty coffee.

Working alongside green coffee buyer Piero Cristiani of Cafe Imports, Rony has become known for identifying exceptional microlots and helping growers receive recognition for outstanding coffees.

Under his leadership, Lima Coffees has emerged as one of Peru's premier exporting organizations, producing award-winning coffees while strengthening opportunities for independent producers throughout Cajamarca.

Coffee arrived in Peru during the eighteenth century but did not become a major export until European demand increased in the nineteenth century. Over time, large plantation holdings gave way to smaller family farms that now dominate Peru's coffee landscape.

Today Peru ranks among the world's largest Arabica coffee producers. Although infrastructure challenges remain, the country's high elevations, heirloom varieties, and increasing focus on specialty coffee continue to improve quality and international recognition. Many Peruvian producers also participate in Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and other sustainability certification programs.

Most Peruvian coffees are processed using the Washed method. Cherries are typically depulped on the day they are harvested before fermenting in open-air tanks for approximately 12–18 hours, though cooler climates may extend fermentation times. Beans are then washed and dried on patios, raised beds, parabolic dryers, or mechanical drying systems depending on local conditions.