We are very proud to know that we have a community of coffee lovers who are very aware of the challenges of the Puerto Rican Coffee Industry. Every year we continue to read in the press about the shortage of Puerto Rican coffee and the lack of help from the government to keep the industry afloat. Since we started Cuela we had a single purpose. Encourage the consumption of Premium or Specialty coffee from Puerto Rico because it is the only way that a producer can have a sustainable farm in Puerto Rico. Do more with less. Selling a Premium product in supermarkets is very complicated because the coffee grower has to compete with imported commercial coffees that are sold at a much cheaper price than coffee from Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico does not have a production economy, we lost that more than 60 years ago with the industrial revolution. From then on we became a consumer economy until today and it is for this reason that we import 85% of what is consumed in Puerto Rico, thus living with a very high food insecurity. We all know that coffee is a widely consumed product in Puerto Rico, but sadly it is not always 100% Puerto Rican. During harvest times, Puerto Rico, in a good year, harvests 40,000 quintals, while approximately 260,000 are imported to offset the great demand for coffee.
With this economic and market analysis we wanted to create in Cuela the Coffee of the Month Subscription. This subscription focuses only on purchasing 100% Puerto Rican coffee of Premium or Specialty quality with the purpose of ensuring a large transaction for a coffee farmer. A totally sustainable and transparent purchase, since the farmer is paid at the time of delivery. This creates cash flow for producers, helping them remodel their spaces, invest in machinery to improve the farm and coffee, and also for payroll.
Coffee of the Month aims to be an ambassador for coffee growers and roasters who believe in our industry that has existed since the 18th century. An industry that catapulted in style when we were the sixth largest coffee exporter in the world. An industry that has gone through political and natural challenges and still remains alive because it is a social and cultural reference of our island.
We know that this subscription will not solve all the problems, but it is a tool that will give voice and justice to our coffee because we know that little by little we can create a great impact. We only seek to plant a little hope in our coffee growers so that they see that it is possible to sell coffee from Puerto Rico.
We already have 500 subscribers to Café del Mes and you could continue helping a coffee farmer once a month. If you feel identified with Cuela and our purpose, access today and subscribe to Café del Mes.
Suscribe here to Café del Mes
