The way it was...
TACANÁ — THE STORY
For many years, the coffee-producing communities living and working on the Tacaná Volcano (Chiapas, Mexico) were at the mercy of intermediaries, commonly known in Mexico as coyotes.
Their production had resulted in meager yields per hectare. To make matters worse, a common coffee plant disease known as rust (roya) hit the region hard, decreasing production to a minimum.
The Tacaná producers were mainly impoverished, unable to send their children to school because they had to help with the plantations.
The way it changed...
TOKS — BUSINESS WITH A CAUSE
Restaurantes TOKS, a casual dining restaurant chain in Mexico, developed in 2003 an initiative called “proyectos productivos”, productive projects, to help marginalized communities create high-quality products and sell them at a fair market price without intermediaries.
TOKS approached the Tacaná communities in 2012 and started buying their coffee for more than 200 units around Mexico in 2016. By helping the communities improve their practices to become more productive and finding financing to update their equipment, they are now thriving to their potential! Learn more about TOKS and their projects here.
The way it is now...
TODAY — THE RESULTS
Nowadays, these communities can live off their work, send their children to school, and have a fruitful life.
Their productivity per hectare has increased dramatically. There are no more intermediaries; they have the freedom and power to make their own decisions to grow their businesses and become more prosperous.
Their coffee is 100% organic. They have obtained a Rainforest Alliance certification, developed a blockchain platform in partnership with TOKS, the University of Notre Dame, and SIMBA, and become a case study at Harvard University. A book about their story is available here.
The way we got involved...
TLAKO — SINCE 2015
We visited the communities for the first time in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the people, the place, and the project.
Since then, we have tested green coffee for the communities, developed an alternative Cáscara (coffee husk) tea project, and imported and roasted their coffee in Switzerland with our partners without intermediaries.
Today, we bring this fantastic coffee to your home and hope you will join us in sharing this beautiful story!
