Behind the Scenes with CIACAFE: Building Resilience and Relationships in Coffee

On our recent visit to San Juan Sacatepéquez, spending time with the producers behind La Cooperativa CIACAFE felt more like a reunion with old friends than a formal business trip. There was laughter, a few heartfelt tears, and deep conversations about their past challenges, current efforts, and dreams for a brighter future.

We thought we’d share this blog as a way to offer a glimpse into the “behind the scenes” of coffee buying—highlighting not just the struggles and setbacks but also the relationships, collaborations, and shared hopes that make it all worthwhile.

A Difficult but Transformative Journey

The 22/23 harvest was a pivotal moment for CIACAFE. It marked their first export as a cooperative, the culmination of eight years of hard work to establish a direct trade partnership outside of Guatemala. For emerging cooperatives like CIACAFE, breaking free from the C-Market and building international trade relationships is a monumental achievement. (For context, only 20 out of 300 cooperatives have accomplished this in Guatemala.) This success symbolized greater stability and opportunity for their community—a core motive behind their efforts.

However, that success came with a hard lesson. The dry mill we (CIACAFE & COI) collectively agreed to work with sabotaged CIACAFE’s coffee by blending it with 50% of a lower-quality coffee from a previous harvest. This type of misconduct, unfortunately, isn’t uncommon in Guatemala, especially when traditional players feel threatened by the growth of cooperatives with newly established export licenses.

By the time the issue was discovered, the coffee had already landed in the U.S. While it still cupped similarly to initial samples, the profile was muted, flat, and lacked the vibrant qualities we had initially approved. Collaborative Origins Imports took a significant financial hit, losing $30,000 selling the majority of this coffee at below cost. Despite our admiration for CIACAFE, the setback left us unable to purchase their coffee the following year as we sought to re-establish ourselves.

For CIACAFE, the disappointment was felt as well. After putting in 110% effort to produce their best coffee, the community had rallied around the cooperative’s leadership, trusting in the partnership’s potential. While the cooperative received a great price for their coffee, the inability to continue exporting the following year was a heavy blow.

Despite this challenging chapter, there was no blame, anger, or bitterness—only gratitude for honesty, a spirit of friendship or “Amistad”, and a shared determination to learn from the past and to be able to move forward.

Growth and Resilience at CIACAFE

Since the 22/23 harvest, CIACAFE has demonstrated incredible resilience and progress. They didn’t let the setback of the year previous hold them back. Instead, the following year, they achieved a major milestone: obtaining their export license. This step not only significantly reduces their reliance on external players but also enhances their ability to independently control their coffee’s journey from farm all the way through export.

Beyond this, the cooperative has invested in education and sustainability. With support from Guatemala’s Ministry of Agriculture, CIACAFE members have taken classes on worm composting, regenerative farming, and organizational management. They’ve also received valuable donations, including dry milling equipment, a 10kg coffee roaster, grinders, and packaging tools.

In true CIACAFE fashion, they’ve honored these resources by building facilities to house them and ensuring they are used efficiently. As Don Dimas, one of their community leaders, put it, “We don’t want anything that we’re not deserving of. The best resource we can be given is knowledge. What use is machinery if you don’t know how to use it, maintain it, and maximize its benefit for the community?”

This philosophy shines through in their actions. From adopting sustainable farming techniques to producing three types of regenerative compost from coffee byproducts, CIACAFE continues to demonstrate their commitment to stewardship. These efforts not only diversify their income streams and provide better local employment opportunities but also enable them to deliver exceptional coffee while honoring their core values of sustainability and community growth.

A Vision for the Future

While CIACAFE is proud of their progress, their greatest aspiration remains to forge more mutually beneficial and transparent relationships with roasters in the U.S. For them, coffee is more than a commodity—it’s a tool for building community, creating jobs, and uplifting San Juan Sacatepéquez.

By fostering long-term partnerships with roasters who value quality, transparency, and sustainability, CIACAFE hopes to continue transforming their region through coffee. Additionally, CIACAFE is eager to continue learning and hopes to host more opportunities for visiting roasters to connect with their community, working together to create something even more impactful and enduring.

Closing Thoughts

At Collaborative Origins Imports, we’ve been privileged to witness the resilience, integrity, and vision of CIACAFE; and to play a small role alongside them. Similarly, we’ve witnessed these same traits in many of our roaster partnerships as they’ve weathered through COVID, changes in our economies, and perhaps more. These encourterances remind us that coffee is not just about the final cup—it’s about the people, relationships, and shared dreams that bring it to life. In this next season for us as COI, we’re encouraged and excited to continue building relationships with mutual growth in mind for both the wonderful producers in areas like San Juan and our roaster partners across the US.

As we continue to partner with CIACAFE, we’re excited to support their mission and share their coffee with roasters who believe in their vision. Together, we can create a supply chain that’s built on trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to sustainability.

If you’re a roaster looking to work with producers like CIACAFE, let’s connect! Together, we can support the future of coffee and the communities that grow it & roast it! #cheers