Guatemala El Llano - replanting farms project

 

The Replanting Farms project is the result of a collaboration between 88 Graines (green coffee importers) and Stay High coffee roasters.

We have been involved in this project since September 2023. This is something we have been wishing for since the very beginning of our roasting business and we’re incredibly grateful that it’s now happening!

 

Why did we choose to work with this particular company, 88 Graines?

As you may recall from our previous feature on Guatemala El Oregano, Tom spent an unforgettable week at the El Llano farm in February two years ago and fell in love with the place and the people who run it. 88 Graines aim to make a difference in the lives of those who produce the things we all love: coffee. They do this by living in coffee origin countries and working directly with small and medium coffee producers. They support equal trade, sustainability and involvement of new generations in the coffee profession. 88 Graines, which means 88 seeds, is based on creating a collaborative social model in coffee sourcing between small and medium coffee producers and independent coffee roasters / roasting companies / future barista champions in order to promote the next generation of coffee producers, empowering women & families involved in coffee production and business.

So what is it all about?

Put simply, when you buy a retail or wholesale bag of Guatemala El Llano, you're helping to pay for two new coffee plants to be grown. The project will give producers the opportunity to renovate a percentage of their farms each year, as the cost of renovation will be significantly reduced thanks to this support. Renovations of farms range from 5-10% per year but lately farmers struggle to replant farms due to high costs of coffee production and low incomes due to low coffee prices.

 

88 Graines decided to focus on supporting farms and offering to purchase coffee plants that are more disease resistant and highly productive, maintaining the solid quality. One plant of traditional coffee varieties like caturra, bourbon, typica and hybrid varieties costs between $0,25-0,50c. The aim is to focus more on hybrid varieties that are more disease and climate resistant, require less labour and less maintenance therefore less cost. The varieties include H1, Anacafe 14, Obata and Marcellesa. They all are highly productive and they have been getting applause in the end cup.

 

We are all looking forward to being part of the future of sustainable coffee production and you can be part of the change too! Even sponsoring one coffee lot will create a huge positive impact in the lives of people that produce coffee.