Single Origin / Costa Rica – Coopeagri Microlot

COOPEAGRI is a cooperative of over 13,000 members, established in 1962 by 391 small-scale farmers in Costa Rica’s southern region. Their main objective was to build and sustain a strong and supportive farmer organization, which could improve living standards for the community and provide development opportunities to their members. Today, the cooperative has over 5,000 coffee producers, and their coffee is marked and transported separately to the wet mill, anaerobically fermented, and mechanically dried.

This particular coffee is grown in the Brunca region of Costa Rica, using only trees with between 3 and 5 years of active production. The cherry is marked and transported separately to the wet mill, where it undergoes anaerobic fermentation before being mechanically dried.

One of the notable aspectsof COOPEAGRI is their commitment to social and environmental responsibility. They have diversified their operations by opening a supermarket, a sugar mill, and a forest operations department, which promotes conservation culture amongst their members. They have programs for children that focus on leadership and skills for the future, as well as social work, forest maintenance, handicrafts, and home education.

The cooperative also collects rainwater in two artificial lakes and uses it for their processing needs. This saves 50% of energy and 70% of water overall, following a near $700,000 investment. Half a million trees have been grown in the last 5 years, with 55,000 of these being donated to local communities. Additionally, 673,000 bags of organic fertilizer have been produced in that time.

COOPEAGRI’s coffee has won the Fairtrade Golden Cup award in 2022, and it is noted for its unique flavor profile. This coffee has notes of Candyfloss, kiwi, sherbet, and chocolate with a lingering whiskey finish. Overall, this coffee is a testament to the commitment of COOPEAGRI’s members to sustainable and responsible coffee production, as well as their dedication to improving the lives of their community members.