Our flagship project in Chiapas

Starbucks Shade Grown Mexico coffee, purchased through CI’s Conservation CoffeeTM program, comes exclusively from farms surrounding the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico, one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots.

More than 300 species of birds, including the endangered Queztal, can be found in the reserve – which amounts to about 3% of all known bird species in the world. El Triunfo is also home to 45 types of reptiles and 30 species of mammals, many of which are unique to this area. The Reserve spans four climate zones and is the largest continuous cloud forest in Mesoamerica.

The Quetzal, from Chiapas Mexico, is one of the primary benefactors of shade grown coffee.

The conservation efforts among the farmers living and growing coffee on the Reserve are essential to its preservation. Improvements in small-scale coffee production can help ensure the long-term economic viability of the farmers.

Making progress

In fiscal 2002, Starbucks invested $200,000 in the Conservation CoffeeTM program as part of a three-year commitment to provide a minimum of $600,000. According to CI, farmers supplying Shade Grown Mexico receive an 87% price premium over local prices for their coffee. More than 1,000 farmers participate in the program, up from 691 in fiscal 2001.

In fiscal 2002, Starbucks purchased more than 1.8 million pounds (816,466 kilograms) of conservation coffee to meet increased consumer demand and ensure year-round availability.

Starbucks and CI have developed a similar conservation project in Colombia, and will soon begin developing one in Peru. Future plans are to expand the Conservation CoffeeTM program to other areas where biodiversity is under severe threat, including Panama and Costa Rica.