HONEY PROGRAM (CopiChajulense)

Despite the fair trade and organic premiums that their coffee earns, there is still nowhere near enough money generated from coffee alone to sustain Chajulense families. The Coffee Trust has worked in tandem with honey producers and coffee producers in the Chajulense region to diversify the local economy and create additional income for coffee producers and their families. Several years ago, The Coffee Trust began working with a group of Chajulense beekeepers, helping them to become the only local fair trade, organic honey cooperative in the Chajulense region. Since then, the Chajulense beekeeping cooperative, CopiChajulense, has provided supplementary income for coffee farmers.

The Coffee Trust provides training for the cooperative’s beekeepers in best beekeeping practices to help them increase production. Additionally, The Coffee Trust matches each new, efficient beehive purchased by CopiChajulense with an equally efficient beehive provided by The Coffee Trust.

In 2023, CopiChajulense had a change in leadership. The old guard retired and responsibility for the cooperative shifted to a younger cadre of board members and executives. Establishing trust is always the first step toward working with a new organization, and with all the changes taking place at CopiChajulense, The Coffee Trust began again with the new leadership team. 2023 was an excellent year for building trust between the two organizations. The Coffee Trust is continuing its matching beehive program in 2024, as both organizations discuss options for increased support in 2025.