From the Swiss Alps to Kenya: How Swiss Students from 17g Coffee Blend for Social Good
August 29 - 2025
Coffee Geography Magazine
High in the Swiss Alps, the morning ritual at Collège Alpin Beau Soleil comes with a side of global impact. The rich aroma of specialty coffee that wafts through the halls isn't just from any café; it’s from 17g Coffee, a thriving, student-run enterprise that is proving a daily brew can be a powerful catalyst for change.
What began as an idea—measured out by the 17 grams of beans required for their first perfect recipe—has blossomed into a full-fledged business and an innovative educational program. The initiative started with just 15 students, two dedicated teachers, and a coffee specialist, all eager to learn about the complex world of coffee. Today, it operates a fixed espresso bar inside the school and serves the community from a charming Piaggio coffee truck, all staffed by a rotating team of high schoolers trained as certified baristas by the Specialty Coffee Association.
But 17g is far more than a student café. It is a non-profit company with a mission woven into every bag of beans it sells. All profits are reinvested into development projects aimed at empowering producers, enhancing working conditions, and highlighting the delicate reality many coffee farmers face.
This mission comes to life each year when the students trade their alpine campus for the sun-drenched fields of Kenya. There, they work directly alongside the female farmers who grow their beans, participating in the very harvest they will eventually roast and sell back in Switzerland. This profound connection—from the farm to the roaster to the cup—fuels the entire operation.
Using a plug-and-play roaster that makes in-house production possible, the students transform the imported Kenyan beans into their signature blends. The profits from those sales are then funneled directly back into the Kenyan communities they partnered with, funding projects that improve community well-being and coffee quality.
Yet, perhaps the greatest yield of this venture isn't measured in kilograms of coffee, but in the confidence and character built in the students themselves. The program offers a hands-on masterclass in entrepreneurship, with students rotating through every role—from head barista and social media manager to business development lead—in a supportive, real-world environment.
For many teenagers, the prospect of speaking to adults or stepping into a leadership role can be daunting. Through 17g, they gain the confidence to run pop-up cafés, present at trade shows, and collaborate with industry professionals. In the process, they find a passionate community among their peers.
The story of 17g Coffee is a testament to a powerful idea: that education, entrepreneurship, and empathy can blend together to create a brew that shapes character, forges global connections, and makes a tangible difference in the lives of everyone it touches.