Latin American Women and Branding: Working for Change in the Coffee Industry

Women in the international coffee industry are using their own brands to claim a place in an industry where women have long been under-represented, with help from the International Women Coffee Alliance (IWCA). Three women, from Guatemala, Mexico, and Colombia tell their tale of struggles and successes in growing, roasting, and marketing coffee in their respective countries, the importance of solidarity, experience sharing, and a solid branding strategy.

Celeste Fumagalli

Celeste Fumagalli, a coffee grower and former IWCA Guatemala chapter President (2015-2016), said the IWCA chapter in Guatemala registered its brand “Mujeres in Café” as well as its logo to be protected in Guatemala. However, she said, “a lot of people are taking advantage of the fact that being a woman in coffee is a good marketing asset, and using our logo unduly.” She called for more stringent enforcement measures to protect the brand. Celeste also has a private brand, Gold Grains Coffee.

Celeste is a coffee grower. She inherited the family farm in 2007 when her father passed away. She was happy to sell her coffee in cherry because the transactions were immediately paid in cash. However, one year, disaster struck when a trusted buyer took their harvest and never paid. Depending mostly on the harvest income, the family was in dire difficulties.  Her husband, an engineer quit his job to help out and in less than five months, a first eco-friendly wet mill was built. With her father’s machines still in order, the couple started selling their own brand of Arabica coffee beans “Gold Grains Coffee” and exporting to the United States, Italy, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Germany.

They also just launched their new brand Fumagalli Specialty Coffee, marketed in Guatemala.

In Guatemala, Celeste said, women in coffee used to be managed by men but now more women are taking care of the farms, being growers, roasters, cuppers, or baristas. Women are now getting more involved in the whole coffee chain.

Rosa Elena Cantú

Rosa Elena Cantú, IWCA Mexico chapter President, coffee roaster, registered her logo (unicomexico.com.mx), protected in Mexico and internationally. She also told about women coffee farmers in the highlands of Veracruz, Mexico who collectively created a feminist coffee brand, Femcafé. In Mexico, she noted, some regional authorities such as Veracruz, Chiapas and recently Oaxaca developed appellation of origin. Tequila and Mezcal are role models that coffee growers and roasters should follow to optimize the value added of appellations of origin, she said.

For Rosa Elena, coffee is also a family tradition. Her father who passed away in 2021 used to be the President of the International Coffee Organization, and the Director of the Mexican Institute of Coffee. Rosa Elena is now heading a roasting and consulting business, UNICO, founded by her father. The company develops business models that include small coffee-producing families not only as providers but also as partners of every mode. UNICO distributes an average of two and a half tons of roasted coffee coming from small farmers. The company works primarily with two cooperatives, one in Veracruz (Femcafé), Chiapas (Majomut), and some independent small producers in Puebla, Oaxaca and Hidalgo.

The company then markets coffee in Mexico as well as internationally, in particular in France, the U.S., and Canada.

Women in Mexico are somehow reluctant to get involved, she said, due to cultural issues and the chapter is working hard to bring women to the forefront of the coffee industry.

Ana Maria Donneys

Ana Maria Donneys, IWCA Colombia Vice-President and coffee grower noted that Café de Colombia has been an appellation of origin success story, and a huge advantage for coffee growers in the country. She is now part of a project seeking to develop an origin denomination for Quindío coffee, from the Quindío state. She also explained that in Colombia, branding for coffee is steadily growing in importance. She has her own brand, Café Primitivo, which she actively promotes. “Having your own brand makes you work your best. It’s really important for us,” she said.

Ana Maria is the fifth generation of coffee growers. Four years ago, she took over the administration of the family farm. “Everything we have we owe it to coffee,” she said, adding “Coffee flows through my veins.” Her passion, she said, is to work for coffee and for coffee growers to bring more opportunities for the coffee industry in Colombia and women.

The farm has about 100 staff and produces Arabica coffee. Most green beans are exported, and a small part of the harvest is roasted on the farm. However, she said, specialty coffee in Colombia is still new.

Taking the reins of the business when she was just 24 years old, Ana Maria had to face gender discrimination, and a strong push back from workers unaccustomed to being managed by a woman, let alone a young woman, and coffee professionals who did not want to listen to new ideas, or have women in leadership positions. However, she said, mentalities are evolving.

IWCA Watching Women in Coffee’s Backs

Joining the IWCA has been an important step for Celeste, Rosa Elena, and Ana Maria. Colombia is a newcomer to the IWCA, with a formal Memorandum of Understanding signed just a month ago, said Ana Maria. The Colombian chapter represents twelve small associations, each of them having its own coffee shop. “It has been wonderful seeing those women working together and being empowered,” she said, underlining opportunities brought to them by the IWCA.

Rosa Elena said being part of a global community has been very inspiring. The spirit of sorority, the market opportunities, the networking, the constant support to tackle challenges since the Mexico chapter opened six years ago.

Celeste also underlined networking opportunities. “It is a great place for contacting other women around the world, producers or buyers. We share the same passion, mission, and vision.” “Women all around the world have the same issues, and challenges and it is reassuring to see we are united by IWCA and empowering other women.”

IWCA was founded in 2003 to support women in Central America, as a non-profit organization, and rapidly expanded. It is now present in 28 countries, where “chapters” gathering women working in coffee, are seeking to empower women in coffee communities so they can achieve meaningful and sustainable lives.