Directory for Coffee Farmers' Cooperatives
• Cecafé (Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council) is not a coffee growers cooperative. It is a trade association representing coffee exporters and related entities in Brazil. A national council representing 139 members, including exporters, producers, associations, and cooperatives. https://www.cecafe.com.br/
No of Members
22,000
Remark
Founded originally in 1932 as an agricultural credit union, it pivoted focus in 1957 to become a fully fledged regional coffee processing and marketing cooperative.Today, it operates at an immense industrial scale, processing, commercializing, and shipping massive volumes of Brazilian coffee across 49 countries which makes it the richest cooperative in the world. The enterprise represents 22,000 active associated producers. Despite its multi-billion dollar corporate layout, Cooxupé remains deeply grassroots at its core, as over 82% of its membership consists of small family farmers who rely on the cooperative for market leverage.
Region
South Minas Gerais, Cerrado Mineiro, São Paulo's Vale do Rio Pardo
No of Members
9,200
Remarks
Cocatrel (Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores da Zona de Três Pontas Ltda.) is the second-largest coffee cooperative in Brazil and a major powerhouse in global agricultural trade. Founded on July 18, 1961, by 144 visionary rural producers, it was created to help regional farmers collectively standardize, store, and market their harvests. Today, it operates at a massive industrial scale across the state of Minas Gerais.
Region
Contacts
No of Members
10,500
Remarks
The cooperative expands across roughly 319 municipalities in Minas Gerais, sourcing and exporting specialty coffee globally. Minasul (Cooperativa Agroindustrial de Varginha LTDA) is the third-largest coffee cooperative in Brazil. Founded in 1958 in the state of Minas Gerais, the cooperative has evolved into a highly modernized, tech-driven agribusiness powerhouse. It bridges thousands of regional family farms with prominent specialty coffee markets worldwide.
Region
Contacts
No of members
800
Remarks
COOPFAM (Cooperativa dos Agricultores Familiares de Poço Fundo e Região Ltda.) is a pioneering, highly respected family agricultural coffee cooperative based in Brazil. Originating from a grassroots social movement organized by the Catholic Church's Pastoral da Terra in the early 1980s, the cooperative formally registered to empower small-scale growers. COOPFAM holds a historic milestone as the very first coffee cooperative in Brazil to achieve Fairtrade certification (vetted in 1998).
Region
Contacts
No of members
760
Remarks
Expocacer (officially Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado) is a highly progressive, industrial-tier coffee producer cooperative headquartered in Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Founded in 1993, it serves as one of the central pillars driving the famous Cerrado Mineiro Designation of Origin (D.O.), specializing in high-yielding, high-quality, and deeply sustainable Arabica coffee production.
Region
Cerrado Mineiro (Patrocínio/Patos de Minas)
Contacts
No of members
20
Remarks
Sancoffee is an independent, highly progressive specialty coffee cooperative and social enterprise based in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil. Founded in 2000 with the encouragement of regional coffee pioneer Fernando Paiva, it serves as a premier bridge connecting highly dedicated estate growers with specialty coffee buyers worldwide. Unlike the larger regional cooperatives like Cocatrel or Minasul, Sancoffee operates on a more exclusive model, focusing on high-end specialty coffee production and long-term direct trade.
Region
Minas Gerais
Contacts
The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) is not a coffee growers' cooperative itself. Instead, it is a non-profit trade association and overarching organization that represents and supports coffee growers, including cooperatives.
• Founded in 1927, the FNC acts as a unified voice for ~500,000 Colombian coffee farmers (mostly smallholders). It focuses on policy advocacy, quality control, international marketing (e.g., the Juan Valdez brand). https://federaciondecafeteros.org/wp/federation/about-us/?lang=en
No of members
2,000
Remarks
Operating in Colombia's famous "Eje Cafetero" (Coffee Growing Axis), it is considered a medium-sized Colombian cooperative. It connects smallholder farmers across five primary municipalities in the western Caldas region: Anserma, Risaralda, San José, Belalcázar, and Viterbo.
Region
Caldas
Globally, there are roughly 12.5 million coffee farms, and hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers belong to cooperatives. The exact number of individual cooperatives fluctuates. The Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU) in Ethiopia is the largest coffee co-op in the world started with 34 small groups and has grown to over 400 primary cooperatives representing more than 562,000 farmers.
No of Members
490
Remarks
Coopelibertad R.L. is a prominent, traditional coffee growers' cooperative based in Heredia, Costa Rica, founded in 1961. With over 65 years of history, it unites and supports small-scale farming families across the Central Valley region, as well as nearby areas like Tarrazú and Poás de Alajuela.The cooperative operates on a democratic, participatory model focused on sustainable development, fair trade (holding Fairtrade certification FLO ID 20787), and community welfare.
Region
Heredia, Central Valley
Contacts
No of Members
254
Remarks
Coopesarapiquí R.L. is an agricultural cooperative founded in 1969 to ensure fair prices for small-scale farmers in northern Costa Rica. To diversify their income, the cooperative established the Mi Cafecito Coffee Tour in 2011. This renowned community-based rural tourism project combines eco-tourism, sustainable farming, and coffee education.Based in San Miguel de Sarapiquí, the cooperative operates according to Fair Trade principles, supporting local families and investing directly back into the rural economy.
Region
Sarapiquí, San Carlos, Heredia, and Alajuela
Contacts
No of Members
24
Remarks
AFAORCA (Asociación de Familias Orgánicas de los Cerros de Caraigres) is a grass-roots, farmer-led association founded in 1996 in Costa Rica. It was established by small-scale farming families who needed a collective structure to process and market 100% certified organic coffee.The organization is located in the highland communities bordering the Caraigres Protected Zone, spanning across the cantons of Aserrí, Acosta, Desamparados, and parts of the Los Santos region (such as Santa María de Dota).
Region
Aserrí, Acosta, Desamparados, and parts of the Los Santos region (such as Santa María de Dota).
Contacts
No of Members
1,800
Remarks
Established in 2002, this is a regional federation composed of multiple foundational base cooperatives in southern Ecuador (covering regions like Loja, El Oro, and Zamora Chinchipe). It assists smallholder families in achieving Fair Trade, organic, and deforestation-free certifications to bypass middle-men and export directly to international buyers like Lavazza.
Region
Loja, El Oro, and Zamora Chinchipe
Contacts
No of Members
215
Remarks
Located in the Imbabura province of northern Ecuador's Intag Valley, AACRI was founded in 1998. The cooperative focuses on producing 100% organic, shade-grown Arabica coffee (such as Caturra, Typica, and Bourbon varieties). Their production methods are intentionally designed to preserve the local biodiversity and protect native cloud forest ecosystems.
Region
Imbabura province of northern Ecuador's Intag Valley
Contacts
No of Members
316
Remarks
Founded in 2002 in the Zamora Chinchipe province, APECAP is one of the key base cooperatives under the FAPECAFES umbrella. They specialize in organic, high-altitude specialty coffee (like Geisha and Improved Typica) and honey production. APECAP is notable for being a pioneer in sustainable, climate-smart farming, earning the "Ecuador Libre de Deforestación" (Deforestation-Free Ecuador) seal.
Region
Zamora Chinchipe province
Contacts
No of Members
5,000
Remarks
Originally started in 1998 as a regional Amazonian association (CORACAF), it expanded nationwide and rebranded to CORECAF in 2000. It functions as a massive network supporting small-scale producers across Ecuador's three main coffee-growing regions by offering microcredits, technical training, and domestic commercial distribution to major supermarket chains.:
Region
across Ecuador's three main coffee-growing regions
Contacts
No of Members
680
Remarks
Based in the Puyango canton of the Loja region, PROCAP is a founding member of FAPECAFES and served as its structural blueprint. They produce washed, high-class Arabica coffee under eco-friendly agroforestry systems designed to sustain the local ecosystem.
Region
Puyango canton of the Loja region
Contacts
No of Members
43,536
Remarks
The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers' Cooperative Union (YCFCU) is a massively impactful organization founded in June 2002 to represent smallholder coffee farmers in the Gedeo Zone of southern Ethiopia. Unlike the smaller boutique cooperatives previously discussed, YCFCU operates on a massive scale to safeguard regional farmers from market flacuation.
Region
Yirgacheffe, Gedeo
Contacts
No of Members
80,000
Remarks
The Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU) is a massive agricultural federation founded in 2001 to represent smallholder coffee farmers across the fertile Sidama Region of southern Ethiopia. It stands proudly as the second-largest coffee producing cooperative union in all of Ethiopia.Unlike standard commercial entities, SCFCU allows smallholder families to pool resources, bypass multi-tiered supply chains, and export their prized, fully traceable coffee directly to the international market.
Region
Sidama
Contacts
No of Members
562,186
Remarks
The Oromia Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union (OCFCU) is widely recognized as the largest coffee cooperative in the entire world with 562,186 members. Founded on June 1, 1999, by just 34 small primary cooperatives, it was created to bypass exploitative supply chains and export organic Ethiopian coffee directly to global markets.Today, OCFCU represents the absolute peak of smallholder agricultural mobilization, operating across the Oromia region—which alone accounts for roughly 65% of Ethiopia’s total coffee production.
Region
Oromia
Contacts
No of Members
9,871
Remarks
The Kafa Forest Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union (KFCFCU) is a uniquely specialized organization located in the Kafa Zone of southwestern Ethiopia. Unlike the heavily cultivated plantation regions of the world, KFCFCU is globally renowned for managing wild forest Arabica coffee harvested from the ancient, dense rainforest understories.Crucially, the region of Kaffa is historically recognized as the original geographical birthplace of Arabica coffee. Legend states that it was here in the 9th century that the goat herder Kaldi first discovered coffee's energizing properties. Today, the entire area is protected as the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve. Membership & Cooperative ScaleThe union has experienced steady organic growth since its founding, functioning as an essential economic lifesaver for forest communities:Active Farmers: The union represents more than 9,871 smallholder forest farmers.Primary Cooperatives: KFCFCU serves as an umbrella group uniting 48 localized primary cooperatives (growing from just 17 primary groups when established in 2004).Fairtrade Impact: Over 10,340 area farmers across 21 of their specific primary cooperatives are formally Fairtrade certified, ensuring premium payouts directly filter back into local community development.Gender Equality: Women represent approximately 20% of the independent, registered farming members within the union.Terroir & The "Wild Forest" Harvesting SystemWhat sets Kaffa coffee completely apart from typical international origins is its fully organic, indigenous micro-ecosystem:Extreme Elevations: Wild landrace types grow naturally under deep forest canopies at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level.True Biological Seed Bank: Because these trees grow natively in the wild, the area holds close to 5,000 unique wild Arabica genetic types, making it a vital natural resource for climate- and disease-resistant coffee breeding.Zero Chemicals:
Region
Keffa
No of Members
21,350
Remarks
The farmers collect 100% organic, wild forest coffee that grows natively under deep jungle canopies with zero human intervention until harvest. This zone is highly critical as a genetic refuge for indigenous wild landraces and has become a major hub for the revival of wild Gesha variety coffee.
Region
Bench Maji
Contacts
No of Members
1,500
Remarks
comprising roughly 1,150 men and 350 women) organized into 15 multi-regional producer groups. Unlike traditional single-crop networks, FECCEG promotes income stability through product diversification. Members produce high-altitude specialty coffee, alongside certified organic honey, cacao, and panela (unrefined whole cane sugar).
Region
Quetzaltenango
Contacts
No of Members
1,073
Remarks
smallholder families across 15 basic local associations. : It stands out as a nearly 100% indigenous farmer organization. Over 95% of its members belong to Mayan indigenous groups, primarily speaking languages such as Mam, K’iche’ (Quiché), T'zutujil, Sipakapense, and Kaqchikel.
Region
Quetzaltenango
Contacts
No of Members
35
Remarks
Established in 1998, the community was founded by a group of former URNG guerrilla fighters following the conclusion of Guatemala's 36-year Civil War. Seeking to reintegrate into civilian society, approximately 35 to 40 families pooled together low-interest government loans made available by the 1996 Peace Accords to collectively purchase an old, abandoned coffee plantation.
Region
San Marcos
No of Members
450
Remarks
: The cooperative is deeply anchored in Huehuetenango, one of Guatemala's most celebrated high-altitude, specialty coffee-producing regions. Its farming network spans across 17 distinct rural communities nestled within the mountainous municipalities of La Libertad, San Pedro Necta, and La Democracia.
Region
La Democracia, Huehuetenango
Contacts
No of Members
60
Remarks
. Established in 1995, the group was created to reclaim ancestral lands, protect local biodiversity, and provide economic stability through sustainable farming.The word “Ija'tz” means “seed” in the native Maya Kaqchikel language, serving as a core symbol for life, regeneration, and the preservation of traditional farming heritage.
Region
San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá (Lake Atitlán Region)
Contacts
No of Members
1,600
Remarks
Founded in December 2001, it began with just 61 to 69 small-scale farmers of indigenous Lenca origin seeking to combat extreme poverty, low prices, and heavy chemical dependency. Today, it is recognized globally as a pioneer and thought leader in regenerative organic agriculture and sustainable human development.
Region
Salida al Salvador, Marcala, La Paz
No of Members
950
Remarks
localized across 16 mountain communities in western Honduras. Founded in 1999 by Omar Rodríguez Interiano, it was one of the very first officially registered coffee cooperatives in Honduras. Today, it is widely celebrated for utilizing specialty coffee as a vehicle for sweeping regional development, gender equity, and technological advancement.
Region
Las Capucas, San Pedro, Copán
No of Members
150
Remarks
CAFICO (officially Cafés Finos de Corquín, S.A.) is a prominent, socially responsible coffee producer organization and cooperative company based in western Honduras. Founded in 2009 by a pioneering group of 35 local farmers, it was created to bypass intermediaries, establish a direct bridge to specialty global markets, and elevate the standard of living for rural farming families
Region
Corquín, Copán
Contacts
No of Members
280
Remarks
CAFESMO (Cafés Especiales Mercedes Ocotepeque) is a highly progressive and quality-driven coffee producer cooperative based in southwestern Honduras. Officially formalized in 2016 after years of informal regional collaboration, the group is celebrated for its rapid rise in the specialty sector and its heavy focus on organic micro-lots and diverse processing methods. : Its operations are centered around the hills of the Mercedes municipality, Ocotepeque department, Honduras. This unique terrain sits right near the borders of El Salvador and Guatemala. Farms sit at ideal microclimatic elevations between 1,000 and 1,900 meters above sea level, flanked by the Cerro Pital mountain peak, the Guisayote National Reserve, and the Pacayita volcano.
Region
Mercedes, Ocotepeque, Northwest Region
Contacts
No of Members
440
Remarks
CAFESCOR (Cafés Especiales Corquín, S.A. de C.V.) is a prominent and highly progressive coffee producer corporation and cooperative exporter headquartered in western Honduras. Founded in 2012 by a small group of 25 visionary partners, the enterprise has grown into a leading force in certified coffee production, using premium coffee commercialization to eliminate poverty and secure equitable, local livelihoods. While deeply anchored in Corquín, Copán, its producer network stretches across three premier western Honduran coffee departments: Copán, Lempira, and Ocotepeque. Crops thrive across ideal, high-altitude microclimates scaling from 1,200 up to 2,200 meters above sea level.
Region
Corquín, Copán
Contacts
No of Members
200
Remarks
Formally established in 2016 by 24 founding partners, the organization was created to protect smallholder livelihoods against devastating climate change shocks and severe roya (coffee leaf rust) outbreaks. It bridges remote farming families with high-value international buyers by delivering technical training, localized milling services, and structural trade access. Headquartered in the industrial corridor of Corquín, Copán, PROEXO pools high-quality harvests from micro-farms across the western departments of Copán, Lempira, and Ocotepeque. Farms thrive within rich mountain microclimates spanning 1,000 to 1,800 meters above sea level
Region
Corquín, Copán
Contacts
In India, smallholder coffee growers are primarily organized through multi-state marketing cooperatives, regional Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and state-backed tribal federations. India is unique because over 70% of its coffee production is concentrated in the Western Ghats (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu), alongside high-value tribal organic zones in the Eastern Ghats.
No of Members
4,000
Remarks
Formed in 1993 by coffee cultivators across South India, it was created specifically to stabilize smallholder livelihoods following the landmark liberalization and deregulation of the Indian coffee industry.Before COMARK's inception, all growers were legally mandated to surrender their entire yields to a centralized pool managed by the statutory Coffee Board of India. When the free-market economy opened up (allowing private trade), COMARK was launched as an alternative commercial shield to professionalize independent coffee selling, bypass predatory private brokers, and prevent market crashes from exploiting vulnerable micro-growers.
Region
Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Contacts
No of Members
11,000
Remarks
SAMTFMACS (Small and Marginal Tribal Farmers Mutually Aided Cooperative Society) and its commercial arm, Araku Originals Private Limited, form a globally acclaimed, integrated social enterprise ecosystem in India. Registered as a cooperative in 2007 through the foundational intervention of the public-private non-profit Naandi Foundation, this structural model was engineered to transform marginalized indigenous tribal populations in the Eastern Ghats from low-income laborers into prosperous, self-sustaining biodynamic specialty coffee entrepreneurs
Region
Araku Valley, Alluri Sitharama Raju District, Andhra Pradesh
Contacts
No of Members
150
Remarks
Kodava Farmers Coffee (legally incorporated as Kodava Farmers Coffee Private Limited) is a prominent, farm-based specialty coffee enterprise and farmer-producer collective operating out of the famous Coorg (Kodagu) district in Karnataka, India.While structured as a private limited entity to streamline modern e-commerce and bulk commercial exports, it operates strictly on a community-based farmer-producer model. It functions similarly to a Mutually Aided Cooperative Society (MACS) by aggregating independent local growers from the indigenous Kodava community to eliminate predatory middle-tier brokers, secure farm-to-cup traceability, and expand regional income
Region
Coorg region
Contacts
No of Members
5,000
Remarks
KCGF (more commonly referred to as KGF or the Karnataka Growers' Federation) is a highly influential, state-level umbrella organization and advocacy body for coffee planters in Karnataka, India. Unlike the individual processing cooperatives discussed previously, KCGF functions primarily as a powerful union and policy-advocacy front representing the collective interests of thousands of small, medium, and large-scale coffee farmers across South India.
Region
Chikmagalur, District Headquarters, Karnataka
Contacts
Coffee smallholders in Indonesia, are organized into localized cooperatives (Koperasi) across major volcanic islands like Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Bali.
No of Members
636
Remarks
Fairtrade-certified and additionally managing Organic-certified plots. Originally established in 2007 under the name Koperasi Asosiasi Kopi Gayo Organik (ASKOGO), the organization officially rebranded as GARMINDO in 2019 to align with updated Indonesian government cooperative regulations. The cooperative functions as an ethical, smallholder network designed to elevate the standard of living for Sumatran farming families by transitioning them from volatile local trade to high-value global specialty coffee markets
Region
Gayo Highlands of Aceh Province, Sumatra,
No of Members
500
Remarks
Koperasi Kopi Wanita Gayo (globally recognized as Kokowagayo) is a ground-breaking, Fairtrade-certified agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in the Gayo Highlands of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Founded in 2014, it stands as the first and only all-women owned and managed coffee cooperative in Southeast Asia. The organization was specifically established by visionary women leaders (such as founder Ristani and chairwoman Rizkani Ahmad) who felt that traditional, mixed-gender cooperatives left female farmers excluded from financial governance, community planning, and critical export decision-making conversations.
Region
Aceh
Contacts
No of Members
320
Remarks
Koperasi Koerintji Barokah Bersama (often abbreviated as KKBB) is a highly innovative, award-winning coffee marketing and sales cooperative located on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Founded in mid-2017 with just 22 members, the cooperative has rapidly emerged as a pioneer, revolutionizing the Sumatran specialty coffee scene by moving beyond traditional processing to elite, high-intervention standards
Region
Jambi Province, Sumatra
Contacts
No of Members
180
Remarks
Mandalagiri Coffee Producer Cooperative (officially Koperasi Produsen Kopi Mandalagiri or KPKM) is a highly organized, quality-focused agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in the West Java province of Indonesia. Operating out of the fertile Sundanese highlands, the group is celebrated for elevating the reputation of West Java specialty Arabica through disciplined community agronomy and collaborative processing.
Region
West Java
Contacts
No of Members
5,000
Remarks
Koperasi Kopi Baitul Qiradh Baburrayyan (widely known as KBQ Baburrayyan) is a highly prominent, export-oriented agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in the Gayo Highlands of Central Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Founded originally on October 21, 2002, as a grassroots micro-finance Islamic savings and credit union (Baitul Qiradh), it successfully transitioned in 2006 into a massive coffee-producing enterprise with assistance from USAID. It helped smallholder families recover collectively from years of regional armed conflict and the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
Region
Central Aceh
Contacts
No of Members
500
Remarks
The Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA) is an economic-focused farmers' cooperative and non-governmental organization based in Jamaica. Founded in 1995 initially as a policy lobby group, it was created to unify, protect, and empower the island's smallholder coffee producers against highly centralized large estates and predatory intermediary pricing. The cooperative primarily represents small-scale coffee producers owning micro-plots of less than 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. This is a critical segment, as smallholders collectively manage 80% of Jamaica's entire coffee output.
Region
high-altitude Jamaica Blue Mountain region
No of Members
15,000
Remarks
Established in 1956 in Nyeri County, this highly celebrated cooperative produces exceptional Arabica coffee varieties like SL-28 and SL-34. It manages 19 distinct processing factories (wet mills), including the famous Chinga and Gatuyaini mills. The cooperative maintains its own cupping lab and a small roastery to promote local roasting and direct trade value.
Region
Nyeri County
No of Members
3,000
Remarks
Located in the high-altitude, fertile red volcanic soils of Nyeri County, Gikanda FCS is internationally renowned for producing elite specialty lots. It operates three highly regarded processing factories: Gichatha-ini, Kangocho, and Ndaro-ini. The cooperative strictly uses a traditional, meticulous 24-to-48-hour fully washed processing protocol to yield coffees with iconic crisp clarity and bright acidity.
Region
Nyeri County
Contacts
No of Members
6,000
Remarks
Mutheka FCS was formed in 2004 in Nyeri County after the dissolution of the historic Giant Tetu Coffee Growers Co-operative Society. It manages seven active processing factories, the largest and most famous of which is the Kiandu Coffee Factory. Mutheka smallholders grow coffee under native shade canopies alongside subsistence food crops like maize and sweet potatoes.
Region
Nyeri County
Contacts
No of Members
3,500
Remarks
GRAPOS (Grupo de Asesores de Producción Orgánica y Sustentable S.C.) is a prominent, highly organized agricultural coffee cooperative and advisory group based in the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico. Founded in 2007 by two entrepreneurial farmers with an initial group of just 90 smallholders, the cooperative was created to provide structural technical assistance, help farmers transition to ecological agriculture, and establish stable, direct trade links to the international specialty coffee market
Region
Chiapas
Contacts
No of Members
2,000
Remarks
La Unión Regional, legally known as La Unión Regional de Pequeños Productores de Café de Huatusco, S.S.S., is a highly influential, long-standing agricultural coffee cooperative federation headquartered in Veracruz, Mexico. Founded in 1982, it was established to shield independent small-scale farmers from volatile commercial price drops, bypass predatory regional brokers, and collectively build localized processing facilities
Region
Veracruz
Contacts
No of Members
500
Remarks
Emerged from "Las Abejas" organization after the 1997 Acteal massacre, Maya Vinic (officially Unión de Productores Maya Vinic) is a highly respected, deeply historic indigenous agricultural coffee cooperative based in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Founded in 1999, the cooperative was established by members of Las Abejas ("The Bees"), a Tzotzil Maya civil group dedicated to non-violent social justice and peace. The movement to build Maya Vinic emerged directly as a resilient path toward recovery and dignity following the tragic December 1997 Acteal massacre, where a paramilitary group killed 45 community members during a church service. By launching the cooperative, the surviving families banded together to bypass exploitative local brokers, manage their own lands, and trade directly with international markets
Region
Region
Chiapas
Contacts
No of Members
383
Remarks
Founded in 2001; known for solidarity with Zapatista movement and political activism for Indigenous rights. Yachil, officially known as Yachil Xojobal Chu’lchan, is a deeply significant, politically resilient indigenous agricultural coffee cooperative based in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Founded in 2001, its name translates to “New Light in the Sky” in the native Maya Tzeltal language
Region
Chiapas
Contacts
No of Members
2100
Remarks
UCIRI (Unión de Comunidades Indígenas de la Región del Istmo) is a pioneering and globally historic indigenous agricultural coffee cooperative based in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Founded in 1982 by smallholder farmers alongside local missionaries and the Diocese of Tehuantepec, UCIRI holds immense historic prestige as the world-wide co-founder of the modern Fair Trade movement. In 1988, UCIRI partnered directly with the Dutch solidarity foundation Solidaridad to launch Max Havelaar in the Netherlands—the world's very first fair trade certification consumer label—designed specifically to give UCIRI’s indigenous farmers direct market access and guaranteed fair pricing
Region
Oaxaca
Contacts
No of Members
270
Remarks
Founded in 1994, it was created by smallholder farmers to escape the cycle of predatory local brokers (coyotes) and high-interest moneylenders. It has evolved into one of Mexico's premier models for balancing commercial specialty coffee success with intense ecological conservation and progressive social programs
Region
Chiapas
Contacts
No of Members
2,300
Remarks
. Founded in 1993 during a period of crushing market depression, it was created to give isolated smallholders the bargaining power needed to bypass predatory private traders and export directly to international markets. Today, it is celebrated as an environmental and social leader in Central American specialty coffee.
Region
Estelí, Madriz, Nueva Segovia
Contacts
No of Members
3,500
Remarks
Central COCLA LTDA (officially Central de Cooperativas Agrarias Cafetaleras COCLA Ltda. N° 281) is a highly prominent, historic second-degree agricultural cooperative federation based in Peru. Founded on July 26, 1967, it was established by a group of forward-thinking smallholders seeking to claim land rights, improve rural living standards, and eliminate dependence on predatory regional brokers
Region
La Convención in the Cusco region
No of Members
800
Remarks
CECAFE (Cooperativa Agraria Ecológica Cafetalera de Lonya Grande) is a highly organized, smallholder-driven agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in northern Peru. Founded in 2006 by an initial group of 80 coffee farmers, it was created under the values of collaborative social advancement and community entrepreneurship. Today, it has grown into a powerful economic anchor in its region, managing multi-million dollar export operations while actively funding local environmental preservation and social infrastructure. Common confusion: There is another name, Cecafé is exporters' council in Brazil
Region
Amazonas
No of Members
10,000
Remarks
ACPCU (Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union Limited) is a highly successful, farmer-owned agricultural coffee cooperative union based in southwestern Uganda. Founded in 2006 (commencing trade in 2008), it was formed to help smallholders take control of the entire value chain—from growing and processing to exporting directly to international markets—bypassing local middlemen to secure stable livelihoods. : Its member farms are situated across the scenic Western and Southwestern Highlands of Uganda, primarily centered around Bushenyi, Sheema, Mitooma, and the mountain slopes of Bunyaruguru (famed for its emerald-green volcanic crater lakes)
Region
Bushenyi
No of Members
105,000
Remarks
BKCU (Banyankole Kweterana Co-operative Union Limited) is one of Uganda's oldest, most historically significant agricultural coffee cooperative unions. Registered on May 7, 1958, its name translates to "People of the Ankole region working together" in the local Runyankole language. The union was established by grassroots smallholders in southwestern Uganda to bypass colonial-era middlemen, aggregate regional trade power, and market their harvests directly to global buyers
Region
Mbarara
No of Members
13,500
Remarks
CECOFA (Central Coffee Farmers Association Ltd) is a highly dynamic, farmer-owned agricultural coffee cooperative and direct exporter based in Central Uganda. Known in the international market as “The Fast Robusta Mover,” it was initially founded in 2004 by Robert Buule under the name Nsangi Coffee Farmers Association to fight against predatory middlemen who were cheating rural producers. As its footprint expanded across multiple districts, the organization officially rebranded as CECOFA in 2016. : Headquartered in the Wakiso District, its massive network of farms stretches across several central Ugandan districts, including Masaka, Luwero, Mpigi, Gomba, and Mubende. The majority of its micro-plots thrive along the fertile shores of Lake Victoria and right along the equator line, benefiting from high, reliable rainfall.
Region
Kasawo, Mukono District, Central Region
No of Members
10,044
Remarks
Gumutindo Coffee Cooperative Enterprise (officially Gumutindo Coffee Cooperative Enterprise Limited) is a prominent, farmer-owned agricultural coffee cooperative union based in Eastern Uganda. The word “Gumutindo” means “Excellent Quality” in the local Lugisu language. The group first started working together informally in 1998 and was formally registered as a cooperative union in 2000–2003 to restore Uganda's reputation for premium coffee by establishing direct-trade access to international specialty markets
Region
Mbale, Eastern Region
No of Members
3,832
Remarks
MEACCE (Mt Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Ltd) is a progressive, secondary-level agricultural coffee cooperative union based in Eastern Uganda..Its historical origin is deeply tied to the Gumutindo Coffee Cooperative Enterprise. Following the financial and institutional collapse of Gumutindo around 2015, Fairtrade-certified farmers in the region mobilized to form MEACCE in 2017. This move allowed them to collectively reclaim their processing infrastructure, protect local livelihoods, and re-establish a resilient, direct export pipeline to international markets..
Region
Mbale District, Mt Elgon Sub-Region
No of Members
400
Remarks
KACOFA (Kabonera Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society Limited) is a dedicated, quality-driven primary agricultural coffee cooperative based in Central Uganda. It serves as a vital localized hub that empowers independent micro-farmers by transitioning them into collaborative business owners through structural processing and direct value addition. : Established originally as a grassroots farmers' association in 2002, the group was created to amplify smallholder bargaining power and voice. To solidify its commercial commitment to the community, it officially transformed and registered as a formal cooperative society in 2014.
Region
Kasaali Cell, Bisanje Ward, Kimaanya-Kabonera Division, Masaka City
No of Members
350
Remarks
The Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative (historically functioning alongside frameworks like the United Kaʻū Farmers Cooperative) is an award-winning, smallholder agricultural collective based in the Kaʻū district on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Following the collapse of the local sugar cane industry in the late 1990s, displaced plantation workers banded together to establish independent family farms. The cooperative was formed to pull their small yields, standardise premium processing, and successfully transition the region from sugar to world-class specialty coffee. : Kaʻū coffees achieved historic milestones when multiple member lots placed among the top entries at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Cupping Pavillion Competitions. It has since been featured prominently in Starbucks Reserve programs and boutique global cafes.
Region
Kaʻū district on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.
No of Members
420
Remarks
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association (KCFA) is a highly active, volunteer-led non-profit agricultural advocacy group and trade association headquartered in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Formed in 2006, it serves as an independent political and economic voice to protect the financial livelihoods of independent growers and maintain the historic authenticity of genuine Kona coffee. : Members' farms are tightly restricted to the world-renowned Kona Coffee Belt, a narrow, fractional strip of land spanning North and South Kona. Crops thrive at high elevations on the upland slopes of the Hualālai and Mauna Loa volcanoes, benefiting from deep volcanic soil, warm morning sun, and regular afternoon "cloud caps.". The central mission of the KCFA is a fierce legal and political battle for strict origin protection laws. They actively lobby the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to mandate that any package using the name "Kona" must contain at least 51% to 100% genuine local beans—vocalizing opposition to predatory commercial "Kona Blends" that often utilize only 10% local coffee mixed with cheap, imported foreign commodities.
Region
Kona Island (the big isaland) U.S
No of Members
200
Remarks
VN Coffee Cooperative (officially Hợp tác xã Phát triển Cà phê Việt Nam / Vietnam Coffee Cooperative) is a modern, quality-driven agricultural coffee cooperative based in the heart of Vietnam's specialty coffee industry. Composed of a progressive group of new-generation farmers and roasters, it was established to elevate the profile of Vietnamese coffee on the global market by shifting focus from low-grade commercial bulk commodities to fully traceable specialty-grade lots.
Region
Tây Nguyên-Đăk Lăk, Đăk Nông, Lâm Đồng, Gia Lai
No of Members
185
Remarks
Eatu Fair Services & Agricultural Cooperative (widely known as Eatu Coffee Cooperative) is a highly progressive, Fairtrade-certified agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Officially established on August 25, 2015, the cooperative was created to secure direct, premium consumption channels for smallholder farmers and elevate Vietnamese Robusta from a cheap commodity to a sustainable, high-grade specialty product. : The cooperative represents 49+ active smallholder members collectively managing over 212 hectares of cultivated land. Notably, 90% of its cooperative members belong to the local Ê-đê ethnic minority group, prioritizing indigenous wealth-building and rural community self-determination.
Region
Buôn Ma Thuột
No of Members
50
Remarks
Founded in 2012 by Rolan Co Lieng, a local indigenous tribeswoman, and Joshua Guikema, an American engineer, it was designed as an ethical vehicle to preserve indigenous culture, champion fair-trade practices, and produce world-class specialty coffee. : The organization operates as a tight, clan-based cooperative comprising 50 to 60 indigenous K'ho Cil households. The K'ho Cil (Montagnards) are native to the high-altitude forests of the region and have nurtured heirloom coffee varieties since the 1860s.
Region
Langbiang Mountain, Dalat Vietnam
No of Members
156
Remarks
Ea Tan Coffee Cooperative (Hợp tác xã Cà phê Ea Tân) is a highly progressive, quality-driven agricultural coffee cooperative headquartered in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Operating out of a premier specialty coffee zone, the collective is celebrated for pioneering Fine Robusta development by applying advanced scientific processing models to traditional Vietnamese coffee farming.
Region
Krông Năng district
No of Members
110
Remarks
Tu Liem-Thang Long and Chi Lang-Dong Anh are two highly successful, community-led sustainable coffee cooperative groups located in the Lâm Đồng Province of Vietnam.Formed originally with backing from the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VNFU) and international agricultural development networks, they serve as specialized localized networks to empower smallholder coffee farmers through standardized specialty practices and direct collective bargaining power.
Region
Lâm Đồng province