An exceptional coffee grown and processed exclusively by women is not only a quality-centered choice. It becomes an ethical and sustainable purchase. A collaboration between the Trieste-based coffee importer and the Asociacion de Mujeres Cafeteras of the Cauca region of Colombia yields this outstanding coffee and remarkable project.
Its aim is to foster gender equality growth and the ensuing community-wide effects that impact children and the ecosystem.
«Beneath the fine aroma of an espresso cup, there can be difficult work and life conditions for coffee producing communities» explains Enrico Venuti, CEO of the Trieste-based company.
«This is why Sandalj Trading Company has always intertwined quality and excellence with respect and support for the communities operating the primary stages of the coffee supply chain.
With this philosophy in mind, the company’s most recent project involves establishing a direct relationship with female coffee producers in the Cauca region.
Working through the program’s various objectives, the mujeres can increase the quality of life of their children and extended families, whilst developing and improving their processing techniques to produce higher quality and progressively more environmentally sustainable coffee»
Purchasing of a batch of Colombian Women’s Coffee, selected with rigorous Sandalj Trading quality standards, fosters female social equality and promotes sustainability. The Italian company presents this coffee for espresso cupping, at the forthcoming Salone Internazionale del Caffè Host 2015 (Milan, 23-27 October 2015).
The aroma profile of the Colombian Women’s Coffee is sweet and intriguing, according to expert taster Edy Bieker, managing director of quality and formation at Sandalj Trading Company.
«A cup of this Colombian espresso first delivers an initial aroma of wildberries with hints of orange jam and cocoa. The ensuing aftertaste is characterized by notes of caramel and almonds, nuanced with traces of pineapple in syrup.”
The project in Colombia
The Asociacion de Mujeres Cafeteras del Cauca comprises the sole female growers and coffee producers. Not only working women, they are mothers and wives that want to work in order to insure better livelihoods for their children, extended families and entire communities.
This strong female-powered will was the stepping-stone for the creation of this project embodied by specific objectives and benefits. Its pillars are education, healthcare, safe living conditions and environmental sustainability of the coffee production process.
The mujeres cafeteras are motivated towards achieving completion of the program’s core objectives. Including: all community members under-21 to be enrolled in primary and secondary education; universal access to national healthcare; a development plan insuring yearly updates or health and safety checks; production techniques are to provide time-consistent cupping; and coffee courses should be made available.
Accomplishment of all the above objectives leads to the mujeres obtaining a premium of 10 dollar cents per pound, and additional 5 cents per pound are granted upon completion of infrastructure, promotion or community improvements.
The coffee yielded by Sandalj Trading’s Colombian Women’s Project will be presented for sample tasting at Host 2015 (Hall 13, stand D36-E35). www.sandalj.com
