Quinchia Farmers | Cooperative Alto Occidente

The Cooperative Alto Occidente, the producers of our Legal beans, has its roots in taking a stand against exploitation. By the 1950s, the coffee growers from the region of Riseralda had had enough of being exploited by the intermediaries who at that point were the main buyers of their beans. A group of farmers got together and formalised the constitution of the Cooperative Alto Occidente. The services provided by the newly formed Cooperative included coffee purchases, access to credit, and the provision of agricultural materials. 

All farmers who are members of the Cooperative are small-scale producers, which means that the labour on their farms is primarily provided by their own families.