Sipro

Producer info:

SIPRO stands for Sierra Productora de Cafe. The association is brand new, and is the brainchild and combined effort of 8 mostly young coffee producers in Amatenango de la Frontera. The group decided to work together as an organised cooperative, to have more strength within the market, with better access to specialty buyers. 

Although cooperatives and associations can represent the interests of many producers, when they are too large they may be less effective, as every decision requires the approval of all, which may be less dynamic.

An association’s size can also risk impeding the success of the individual producers in capturing good profits. SIPRO aspires to be dynamic whilst representing the interests and ensuring competitive profit returns for each of their members. Instead of selling into the coyote market, they reached out to the directors of Red Beetle directly for a meeting, to establish a direct relationship between the buyers and the entire cooperative.

Compared to the state of Oaxaca, there seems to be more machismo in Chiapas. It is Mexico’s largest coffee producing region, yet female coffee producers are very uncommon here. In comparison, Oaxaca coffee producers are roughly 50/50 men and women.