InterAmerican Coffee has expanded its relationship with the non-profit coffee foundation Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), through a donation of $20,000 toward the expansion of HRNS’ Coffee Kids program and Feed the Alliance for Resilient Coffee, a joint USAID and HRNS program that builds farmers’ resilience to climate change.
Over 35 years, InterAmerican has learned to help roasters of every size find their perfect coffees and a streamlined their buying experience.
And through its relationships at coffee origins, it continues to learn — and to keep questioning — how it might be a better partner to coffee producers and meaningfully contribute to their success.
“It’s our responsibility to care about the future of coffee and to support the most vulnerable participants in the coffee supply chain: the small producers,” said Florian Benkhofer, CEO of InterAmerican.
Specifically, the funding will immediately support:
- In Huehuetenango, Guatemala:
Rural Business Workshops that include climate-adaptation trainings and farmer-to-farmer
demonstration plots to share Climate Smart Agriculture practices — as well as individual trainings on managing climate challenges through coffee drying and processing techniques. - In Chimaltenango, Guatemala:
The development of specialty microlot programs for women coffee producers; efforts to grow connections between producer associations and exporters; and steps to strengthen existing farmer groups and minimize the influence of local intermediaries. - In Trifinio (the tri-border of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala):
Quality training on how climate hazards can affect coffee quality and techniques for managing risk through specific drying and processing practices. And leadership training for young producers, and especially young women, to embolden them to see themselves as leaders, entrepreneurs, and mentors within their communities and the coffee supply chain.
“I am very excited that IAC is joining us on this journey to encourage young farmers to dream big, continue their family traditions of coffee farming and particularly to help them withstand the threats of climate change,” said Jan von Enden, managing director of HRNS.
“To be taken into consideration by coffee professionals like IAC is a huge motivation boost for the youth. They’re not looking for a handout but for a partnership—and we thank IAC for providing that!” InterAmerican’s Benkhofer added, “In HRNS and Coffee Kids, we found the perfect partners, and we’re proud and happy to work with such a great group on the current and upcoming challenges facing coffee and the people who depend on it.”
About InterAmerican Coffee
Since 1983, InterAmerican has been supplying specialty green coffee to roasters across North America.
We have trading teams and quality control (QC) labs in Providence, Houston and San Diego, which include more than a dozen certified Q Graders. And proudly, we’re part of the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) — the world’s leading green coffee company — which gives us access to numerous other QC labs and on-the-ground experts around the globe.
To learn more visit www.interamericancoffee.com.
