farmer ownership
From Price Takers to Price Setters
Building a more sustainable future for farmers
Pachamama’s founders came together with a vision to revolutionize the coffee industry: to empower farmers to be more than commodity producers. Today, they retain 100% ownership and governance through the cooperative business model. Our owners are Cocla in Peru, Prodecoop in Nicaragua, Manos Campesinas in Guatemala, La Union Regional in Mexico and Ocfcu in Ethiopia. They elect a representative on the Board of Directors with one vote for each cooperative that owns Pachamama Coffee.
This business model changes the narrative for coffee farmers, they set their own prices for coffee and all profits made from the business are allocated back to the cooperatives, turning coffee farmers from price takers to price setters.
Truly Seed to cup
In founding Pachamama Coffee, farmers connect directly with coffee consumers across the US, delivering profits back to origin for the first time. Through ownership and governance, coffee farmers are able to build equity and sustainability into the supply chain, leading to financial independence instead of reliance.
Speciality Coffee Association News
Vertical Integration in the Coffee Supply Chain
"At Pachamama, the farmers have control of the pricing, and it happens in the boardroom. Tremain believes, “If you claim to represent the farmer there should be farmers in your board room. If you are selling to empower farmers, you should have them represented.”
Carlos Reynoso
VP of Pachamama Coffee & GM of Manos Campesinas
“Our dream is to put a face to the roasted coffee, more than just being commodity producers.The difference is that we own the entire process from production to consumers, from seed to cup. We also bring more benefits to the producers and have proven that’s possible. In the beginning it was hard to believe because it was in a different country, different language, and culture. Little by little it was possible and here we are.”
owner cooperatives
COCLA | Peru
Based in Quillabamba, Peru, the COCLA cooperative is owned by 8,500 small-scale coffee farmers. COCLA's late leader, Raúl del Águila, was the founding president of Pachamama in 2003.
PRODECOOP | Nicaragua
Representing 2,300 families in northern Nicaragua, PRODECOOP cooperative is based in Esteli, Nueva Segovia.
Manos Campesinas | Guatemala
Manos Campesinas is an association of 1,100 family farmers in the highlands of southwestern Guatemala.
La Union Regional | México
Nestled high in the mountains of Veracruz, La Unión Regional de Huatusco is a cooperative of 2,000 coffee farmers.
meet the board of directors
Each cooperative that comprises Pachamama elects one representative to serve on the Pachamama board of directors to lead the company's decision making process and ensure true representation for the small scale coffee farmers.
Merling Preza - president
Since 2013, Ms Preza has been leading Pachamama as the President of the Board. She is also the GM of Prodecoop and a leader in many coffee organizations around the world advocating for the empowerment of coffee farmers.
Carlos Reynoso - VP
From Manos Campesinas in Guatemala, Carlos Reynoso is the voice for the 1100 families. He has been sitting on Pachamama's Board since 2013 and is the GM of Manos Campesinas.
Rene Ixtla Herrera
Mr Herrera is the secretary on the Board and sits as the representative for La Union Regional in Huatusco, Mexico.
Vladmir Vivanco
Representing our member owners from Peru at Cocla is Vladmir Vivanco.
Oumer Wabe
Mr Wabe is the representative of the thousands of coffee farmers in Ethiopia who are members of the Ocfcu.
Why Co-ops?
Social Impact
Governed by the people they serve, cooperatives keep money in the community and prioritze funding for the economic, social and cultural needs of the people. Hear from farmer owner Alexa Marin about some of the gender equity programs that Prodecoop in Nicaragua implements for its members.
A Virtuous Cycle
Better Coffee Every Harvest
It all begins with you. When you choose to deal directly with farmers, you empower their communities by making them the owners of the finished product and a valuable brand. This simple switch can turn a negative into a positive for farmers, fueling a virtuous circle that provides profits and sustainability on the farm, in turn leading to better coffee for you every harvest.