Description:
UNIPCAFEM is a small producer association located in Southern Minas Gerais. The group was founded in 2005 and became Fair Trade Certified™ in 2007. UNIPCAFEM has a strong relationship with the municipal school in its rural community and is dedicated in expanding and improving the educational experience for all children in the community.
UNIPCAFEM is one of fifteen Brazilian Fair Trade Certified producer groups that participated in the 2007-2010 Responsible Sourcing Partnership (RSP) project. The RSP project is a result of a partnership between USAID, Fair Trade USA, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and SEBRAE-MG designed to improve the quality of Brazilian coffee, increase market linkages and raise producer capacity. Through the partnership UNIPCAFEM participated in cooperative governance trainings, business management trainings, cupper trainings and post-harvest best practices trainings to improve coffee quality.
Through the RSP project, UNIPCAFEM successfully secured funding for 25 paved drying patios. This basic infrastructure improvement will help UNIPCAFEM members continue to improve their post-harvest handling practices and the final flavor of their coffee.
Also, UNIPCAFEM members took first and second place in the Natural Coffee category in the 2009 Fair Trade Certified Cupping Competition. UNIPCAFEM producer Sebastião Reguim took first place and UNIPCAFEM President Guido Reguim Filho placed second. The one-two sweep in this year's cupping competition is a strong testament to UNIPCAFEM's successful commitment to coffee quality.
City:
Varginha
Country:
Brazil
Geo Location: