Cotopaxi Partners with The Chain Collaborative to Invest in Coffee Growing Communities

September 29, 2021

Funding Alicia Roque Farms for a More Just and Equitable Coffee Sector in Manabi, Ecuador

Salt Lake City, UT. (Sept 29, 2021) – Outdoor gear and apparel brand and certified B Corp Cotopaxi, today announces their impact partnership with  The Chain Collaborative (TCC) to invest in Change Leaders in coffee-growing regions. Their initial funding will go to Alicia Roque Farms, a coffee farm and collective of growers in Manabí, Ecuador with a social mission.

Cotopaxi was founded in 2014 with a deeper mission to fight extreme poverty in the Americas by supporting access to education, healthcare and livelihoods. TCC also has a track record of investing in all three of these drivers, creating a clearly aligned path for partnership. The Collaborative focuses on community-led development in coffee growing regions through their Change Leaders infrastructure. Change Leaders are “people who make up the leadership of a community-based organization and have the vision to create, implement, and sustain change to improve their local community,” according to TCC, aligning with Cotopaxi’s dedication to sustainable-growth non-profit partnerships.

“We are incredibly excited to announce our partnership with The Chain Collaborative and to begin supporting the communities they work with,” said Annie Agle, Senior Director of Impact and Sustainability at Cotopaxi. “When executed in an economically and environmentally responsible way, anchoring communities around coffee production has proven to be one of the most stable ways to solidify livelihoods and keep people out of poverty. This is an excellent addition to Cotopaxi’s portfolio of partnerships.”

TCC’s  mission is to invest in the capacity of Change Leaders in coffee-growing regions and accompany them as they drive grassroots, sustainable development in their own communities, according to their own visions for change. These investments support the communities’ visions and their work toward building more equitable and sustainable systems, where beneficiaries are at the helm.

“We could not feel more honored to be a part of Cotopaxi’s impact story, and are even more grateful that their funds will be directed to our partners in Ecuador, Alicia Roque Farms,” said Nora Burkey, Founder and Executive Director of TCC. “What makes this collaboration so special to us is our shared values. It is evident that Cotopaxi views their company and products as a vehicle to make an impact, and that they challenge themselves to do more and do better year after year. At TCC, we also try to live up to this challenge and know that we can only meet our goals in partnership. So, thank you, both Cotopaxi and Alicia Roque Farms, for allowing us to be better and to tend to impact.”

The first locally-led farmer collective to receive funding through the Cotopaxi and TCC partnership will be Alicia Roque Farms in Manabi, Ecuador.  As part of Alicia Roque Farms’  goal to revive local coffee production in their region, they share knowledge on climate-smart agriculture, organic methods,and the specialty coffee sector with their community of 100 small-scale farmers. Meanwhile, to equitize access to processing infrastructure,  Alicia Roque Farms is establishing a micro-processing center that will allow their  collective of growers to improve the quality of their coffee, add value to their crop through processing, and interact with the international specialty market. TCC is also facilitating supply chain linkages for Alicia Roque Farms with a number of specialty buyers to support them as they navigate their first export. By consistently reaching new markets, Alicia Roque Farms will be able to continue purchasing producers’ coffee at a higher price, and in turn, co-contribute to the uplifting of their local communities.

To learn more about The Chain Collaborative visit thechaincollaborative.org

To learn more about the Cotopaxi Foundation visit https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/foundation

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Cotopaxi Press Contact: Erin Wyer | Erin@OutsidePR.com | 612.747.1314

About Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is an outdoor gear brand founded to create sustainably designed products that fight extreme poverty, inspire adventure, and move people to do good. As a certified B Corporation, we believe in using the power of business as a force for social, environmental, and economic good. Our creed, Gear for Good, touches every aspect of our company. Cotopaxi is committed to making all of our gear using recycled, repurposed, or responsible materials by 2025. We allocate 1% of our annual revenue to the Cotopaxi Foundation which awards grants to outstanding nonprofit partners carefully selected for their track records at improving the human condition and alleviating poverty. In 2020, Cotopaxi aided 822,000 people through poverty alleviation programs, and in 2021, we hope to assist 1 million people experiencing extreme poverty. For more information please visit Cotopaxi.com

About The Chain Collaborative

The Chain Collaborative’s (TCC) mission is to invest in the capacity of Change Leaders in coffee-growing regions and accompany them as they drive grassroots, sustainable development in their own communities, according to their own visions for change. In the carrying out of this mission, they co-create opportunities and strengthen capacities for community-led change. Their work supports communities around the world to combat intergenerational poverty and marginalization on their own terms. In addition to their community-led development work, they also consult for mission-driven organizations and companies, train coffee professionals in sustainability through virtual coursework, and innovate across the value stream via special projects. To date, they have supported local leaders in various coffee-producing countries, impacting over 10,000 beneficiaries; consulted for a number of organizations and companies, driving impact in 15 countries worldwide; and trained approximately 200 students from over 50 countries in coffee sustainability concepts.