Premiums use: Huatusco environmental visionaries and innovators

Huatusco was established in 1982 with the aim of getting fairer prices for coffee farmers. Since the 1990s Huatusco has been processing and exporting its own coffee, which was previously done by the Mexican Coffee Institute (Inmecafé). It has its own cupping laboratory at the mill to continually assess quality.

Huatusco is constantly devising new and innovative methods of managing its coffee process, methods which have not only kept costs down but have also improved the environmental performance of the organisation. Cafédirect premiums have been used to introduce this efficient and environmentally friendly technology throughout the organisation.

Investing in organic conversion and increasing the use of compost, for example, has improved the texture and natural fertility of the soil, leading to a great quality coffee. There are plans to expand this organic conversion programme because of increased demand for its organically certified coffee.

Before renovations by Huatusco to its coffee mills, coffee processing relied heavily on the use of water and electricity. Huatusco’s innovations and refurbishments led to eliminating the consumption of 3,000 litres of diesel a day as well as 97% reduction in water use (in the washing and de-pulping of coffee as well as treating and recycling the waste water), significant reductions in electricity use and time taken for coffee processing.

These changes have also led to an improvement in coffee quality which in turn leads to more sales and therefore better incomes for the coffee farmers.

Cafédirect premiums have also been invested in social services and infrastructural improvements for members and their communities, such as a health programme for women and repairs to schools and roads.

back to Huatusco main page