People
Coopervitae (Agricultural Cooperative of Organic Producers of Nova Resende e Região Ltda) is a cooperative based in Nova Resende, South of Minas Gerais. The cooperative members pride themselves in the dedication of each member towards their job. The see their membership similar to a family bond. Their focus is on direct export, family tradition and strict control.
Currently, Coopervitae has 135 members but its journey started in the 70s, when the Priest of city Nova Resende, Fr. José Luiz Gonzaga set up a small association to encourage organic agriculture. It has been growing over the years and eventually received the support of rural associations. In 1998, the Government of Minas Gerais, in partnership with several institutions and the Ministry of Labor, created the Minas Cooperativa – GERACOOP program and AGRONOR (Association of Organic Farmers of Nova Resende and Region).
In 2001, the first organic coffee was commercialized but it remained difficult to market their coffee. So, the idea of creating a cooperative which would focus on commercialization. Therefore, in July 2001 Coopervitae was born, aiming certified coffee production and making marketing feasible.
Coopervitae covers an area of 1,410 hectares of Arabica coffee with an average altitude of 1150 m.a.s.l. Among the many varieties produced you will find Yellow and Red Catuaí, Mundo Novo, Icatu, Catucaí, and Arara. Almost 70% of the production is specialty coffee, with 35,000 bags of coffee produced per year.
“If it’s good for me, it must be good for all” – Coopervitae’s motto
Coopervitae’s has captured our attention as their philosophy and values align with The Coffee Quest’s beliefs. In order to spread as much knowledge as possible about harvest and post-harvest, Coopervitae set out a number of programs and training projects addressed to all local rural producers.
Moreover, every year Coopervitae promotes coffee contests in the municipality of Nova Resende. This aims to enhance and encourage the quality of coffee produced. The contest has 3 categories: natural coffees, pulped cherry and women’s lots. The last category exists to support women connected to coffee culture, by offering them also lectures, courses, fairs.
Price
What’s exciting about the partnership with Coopervitae is that it is based on seeking satisfaction and loyalty from anyone who is involved. Every producer, every final client, and every employee can rely on trust, respect, and transparency.
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Planet
The goals of Coopervitae includes lowering the impact on the environment and promoting sustainable practices within their network of producers. To fully honour this commitment, Coopervitae carries out several programs, such as the solar energy project, to generate clean and renewable energy. This project is aimed at implanting a photovoltaic plant, which will both benefit producers and generate savings.
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