July Feature: Mexico Red 5 De Diciembre
The Red 5 de Diciembre network is the largest organization of producers in the La Cañada, and itself made up by 13 first-level organizations to represent 1,300 small indigenous producers. They formed as an independent group on the 5th of December, 2014, after La Roya devastated crops in region and chased away international buyers. Over the past six years this group has been working to improve selective harvesting, specialty processing, and marketing of these higher value lots. They’ve succeeded in growing membership and obtaining organic certification, but it was not until 2020 that they were able to achieve and significant premiums for exporting specialty.
Where is this coffee grown?
What is a Cooperative?
While many of the tasty coffees we enjoy are grown on single estates in faraway lands, cooperatives are a popular model for smaller landholders in areas where community is key to survival. For many coffee growers, this kind of collaboration is for their mutual aid and benefit.
