Relationship

DEFIANT COFFEE BEANS ARE SOURCED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH THE FARMERS OF GRAPOS

Origin Information

Grower

Sociedad de Producción Rural Unión de Ejidos y Comunidades San Fernando, S.P.R. de R.I.

Variety

Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Typica

Region

Chiapas, Mexico

Harvest

December – April

Altitude

1,200 – 1,400 meters

Soil

Clay minerals

Process

Fully washed and dried in the sun

Certifications

Fair Trade, Organic

Relationship

GRAPOS was formed in 2007 and consisted of 90 member farmers. In 2016, the group now includes 3,253 member farmers and covers an area including the microregions of Soconusco, Siltepec, Porvenir and Tapachula within Chiapas. Coffee from GRAPOS is cultivated on approximately 5,560 hectares and has an altitude range of 900 – 1600 masl. The harvest season is from November to March.

Members of GRAPOS are mainly smallholder farmers with an average of 3 hectares of land. There are multiple coffee varieties grown including Tipica, Bourbon, Caturra, Mondo Novo and Catuaí. On average the coffee trees are 10 – 20 years old and annual production is equivalent to 0.5 metric tons (MT) of green coffee.

GRAPOS is certified Fair Trade and Organic. Additionally, GRAPOS provides essential services to its members including access to finance, technical assistance and community development programs. Other economic activities of the group include mainly agriculture production of banana, squash, corn, black beans, cocoa and rambutan (a tropical tree that produces fruit of the same name). Members and their families also make handmade textiles for additional sources of income.

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