About the producer

The Unión de Ejidos San Fernando cooperative is a special place in the Mexican coffee lands. Located in San Fernando, Chiapas, the headquarters lies nestled in lush rainforest on the edge of Sumidero Canyon National Park, home to the Cañón del Sumidero, a towering natural canyon with sheer vertical cliff faces that reach as high as 3,300 feet. A river bisects the park, flowing through enormous valley walls and providing a paradise for the many endangered flora and fauna.

Since its founding, Ejidos San Fernando has been unwavering in its two core commitments: to continually elevate the livelihoods of the nearly 1,300 smallholder farmers that comprise the cooperative, and to be a vanguard championing sustainable and environmentally conscious farming practices in the coffee industry.

The deep sense of responsibility that each farmer shares for the wellbeing of every cooperative member is inspiring. The average farmer tends to less than four hectares of land; without the support of the cooperative, these farmers would be left helpless on their own. By gathering and sharing resources together, the farmers ensure a higher standard of living for everyone in the co-op.

These farmers also see themselves as stewards of the environment, an equally important role directly connected to their economic and social prosperity. To better nurture their land and conserve natural resources, the cooperative operates an exclusively organic harvest, resulting in coffees of remarkable quality. Since April of this year, cooperative members have been active leaders in IDB projects to promote the “climate-smart transformation of the Mexican coffee landscape.” With their minds ever thinking ahead, the Unión de Ejidos San Fernando is doing everything they can to secure a sustainable future for the next generation and the generations to come.