Case study:
AMSA Coffee Nurseries, Mexico
In 2014, Starbucks Mexico visited AMSA in Jaltenango, where they witnessed the devastating impact of coffee rust disease. Together with AMSA, they brainstormed a project involving the development of improved coffee varieties at AMSA coffee nurseries.
They created the program TODOS SEMBRAMOS CAFE, where consumers can support farmers directly each time they buy a pound of coffee at coffee stores. For every pound of coffee purchased at retail, coffee producers receive a donation of a new coffee plant for renovation.
The results have been very positive: They have met the initial objective of 180,000 donated plants and sales have increased at Starbucks stores.
In 2016, 360,000 plants were donated. When the project became international, the total reached 1.5 million plants. It is estimated that 3.5 million plants will be donated by the end of 2017.