Why We Do It
Scattered throughout the Puca Opalaca mountain range in the municipality of San Francisco de Opalaca, Honduras, there are several family run farms that comprise the Cooperative Agricultural Indigenous Lenca Limited (COAINLL). As of January 1, 2018 there are thirty four active members who are planting and harvesting coffee as a part of the co-op. It’s truly a community effort, as families and neighbors overcome unimaginable obstacles ranging from impassible roads to extraordinary labor demands to produce excellent coffee.
In 2008 we went to Honduras as high school students for a class service trip. We fell in love with the people, the culture, and the natural beauty. Over the next ten years we would travel to and from Honduras regularly, developing lasting friendships, learning Spanish, and getting a grassroots education on coffee production. Realizing the struggles in this region we decided to become more involved and in June of 2018 we founded Opalaca Trading, LLC to import coffee to the United States. Through our direct trade relationship we are able to pay higher prices to members of COAINLL, as well as promote quality and sustainability. We are excited for the future as we continue our work and bring their high-quality product to the world.
