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Each year we travel to visit coffee farming partners in different countries to learn, spend time with the people we work with, see coffee growing and being harvested, and to better understand what matters in the communities we’re part of. We call these “origin trips.” On our most recent trip to Honduras in February, learning was the common theme everywhere we went - for our team members who made the trip, the COMSA cooperative we visited, and the students we spent time with at the COMSA International School.
Each person on our team approached the trip with a different perspective. For Elena, a production associate, this was her first visit to a coffee cooperative. She saw firsthand how farmers come together to make decisions, share resources, and support one another.
“Traveling to origin is something a production associate in a coffee company usually doesn’t get the opportunity to do. When my coworkers have returned from previous trips to visit coffee cooperatives and meet farmers, they have all expressed how different and deeply impactful it is to see first hand what fair trade premiums we pay and the development money we invest can do for the people on the other end of coffee production. Of course, I believed them, but didn’t really feel the enormity of the operation until I saw it with my own eyes.” - Elena
Brendan, our Roastmaster and Green Coffee Buyer, approached the trip the same way he approaches his work every day, with curiosity and attention to detail. Asking questions, observing processing methods, and continuing to refine his craft through what he learned on the ground from the expertise of third, fourth, and fifth generation coffee farmers.
“COMSA’s meticulous attention to detail pays off. They have not one but two cupping labs, the first to analyze farmer’s coffees as soon as they’re brought in for sale, to provide immediate feedback and quality improvement. The second cupping lab grades fully processed coffees to separate out top quality lots, and to blend lots together into incredibly consistent “COMSA Coffee”. When combined with their innovative organic farming practices and their course of coffee quality classes there’s a lot to learn from COMSA.” - Brendan
And Beth our CEO, a lifelong learner, showed up the way she always does, with a deep curiosity and a commitment to listening and continuing to deepen the relationships that Dean’s Beans has developed over many years.
The coffee we buy from COMSA is grown by women who own the land and lead their farms. It was so wonderful to spend time with the leadership of “Manos de Mujer”, learning about their education programs on finance, Agroforestry, empowerment, and quality improvement. When women thrive, families and communities thrive!
Dean retired in 2023, and our entire team of worker owners is so proud to carry forward his legacy of long-term farmer relationships. As we travel to origin and spend time with our farmer partners, we understand more about the depth of Dean’s Beans’ positive impact over the last 33 years.
The COMSA spirit of innovation and learning carries through the entire cooperative and the farms. Farmers continue to build on their knowledge of organic practices in partnership with the Earth through the “Pata de Chucho” education program.
The focus on learning led to new ideas far beyond coffee, such as a sustainable waste company, “Deshechos Prosostenibles”. This amazing locally led business transforms collected plastic trash into durable building materials sold across Honduras.
A strong commitment to learning carries into the next generation as well. At the COMSA International School, which serves coffee farmers children from preschool through high school. The school is supported through Fair Trade premiums as well as contributions from partners like us. Their innovative tri-lingual education (Spanish, English, and French) prepares children for advanced study at international schools, with a focus on returning to the cooperative as adults with their knowledge of, and experience in, other cultures.
What stood out most from this trip is how connected it all is. Learning moves through the community farms, projects, and education. Learning is also tied closely to COMSA’s long term planning. Seeing that firsthand reinforces the importance of our relationships and our commitment to long term partnerships with coffee producers.
Thanks for joining us on this journey!