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Coope
Sarapiqui was organized in 1969 by 40 small coffee producers.
Since that time, the co-operative has grown to include about
375 associates. |
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| Located
in the scenic area of San Miguel de Sarapiqui, the co-operative
operates two grocery stores and a hardware store and also offers
credit services to its members and produces a brand of roasted
coffee called Mi Cafecito. |
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| Our
coffee: Mi Cafecito |
Coope
Sarapiqui’s coffee is grown at an altitude of between 500
and 1400 metres and in a productive area of 400 hectares. On average,
about 7000 fanegas are produced every year. |
Behind
every brand of coffee there is a story and Mi Cafecito is
no exception. |
The brand was
created by the co-operative’s manager Alvaro Gomez Ferreto.
He grew up in a coffee farming family, and when he was a boy his
father and grandfather used to produce their very own coffee to
consume in their home. They picked the coffee grown on their land,
removed the husks around the bean, washed, dried, and roasted the
beans, then had their very own homemade coffee. Over the years,
the tradition waned but it never left Alvaro and in November 2000
he revived the homegrown coffee idea. |
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| In
order to cope with the ongoing coffee crisis, the co-operative was
looking for ways to add value to their product, and Mi Cafecito has
helped them do that. Roasted locally, the coffee is sold in Coope
Sarapiqui’s two grocery stores, and hopefully soon, will be
more widely available. Now the producers who grow the coffee can also
enjoy the finished product that they helped to create. |
| Diversification
Plans |
| With
the help of several partners, Coope Sarapiqui has undertaken a special
project to diversify its income sources. A plan is underway to develop
a ‘coffee tour’ and to open a coffee shop. Hundreds of
tourists pass through San Miguel every week, en route to whitewater
rafting trips on the Sarapiqui River. Coope Sarapiqui is wise to take
advantage of this traffic. |
The
tour will bring visitors to Coope Sarapiqui’s beneficio,
with coffee fields surrounding it, and they will have the
chance to see how coffee is processed, then enjoy a fresh
cup of it afterwards in the café. Visitors to the beneficio
will also see how recycled husks from the coffee cherries
become organic soil, with the help of thousands of earthworms.
The project
is an opportunity for visitors to Costa Rica and the Sarapiqui
region to learn about coffee and it will bring needed income
to the community. It is in its early stages now and Coope
Sarapiqui is excited for it to move along and be implemented
in the near future. |
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| Coope
Sarapiqui is hoping to take advantage of the high volume of
tourists who visit the region for rafting on the Rio Sarapiqui.
By operating tours of the beneficio and selling Mi Cafecito
in their own coffee shop, the co-operative will be able to diversify
its income for the associates. |
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CONTACT
US
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Manager:
Assistant
Manager:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
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Alvaro
Gómez Ferreto
Ophelia
Membreno
476-0201
476-0215
coopsara@racsa.co.cr
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