Cupping notes: Pecan/Apple/Cherry/Cane Sugar

Co-Op: Federacion Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala
Variety: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Sarchimor
Region: Quiche
Altitude: 1,100-1,800m
Process: Washed
Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic

FECCEG (Federacion Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala) is a second-tier cooperative composed of 12 base cooperatives operating in 6 departments across Guatemala. Founded in 2006 to find sustainable economic activities to improve members’ livelihoods, they began exporting independently in 2009.

The 12 base cooperatives represent more than 1,000 smallholder producers—a third of whom are women—who farm a mixture of coffee, honey and sugar.

FECCEG members are Fairtrade and Organic certified. With those social premiums, FECCEG has been able to finance many social projects in local communities. These have included improving and expanding schools, establishing a revolving loan fund for women, building school gardens and starting animal husbandry projects. Hundreds of families have been able to benefit from their projects, including community members who are not themselves members of FECCEG.