Sheffield coffee brand to donate share of profits to improve lives of producers

Sheffield coffee brand Cafe Cereza is donating a share of its profits to help one of its El Salvadorian producers tackle child malnutrition and improve living standards for coffee farming families.
Coffee farming families enjoy a rare day out at a local water park funded by Cafe Cereza donations.Coffee farming families enjoy a rare day out at a local water park funded by Cafe Cereza donations.
Coffee farming families enjoy a rare day out at a local water park funded by Cafe Cereza donations.

Cafe Cereza sources all its single origin coffee from the Monte Sion estate, which has its own foundation - Fundacion Monte Sion Nuevo Amanecer. The cooperative, which is run by Lilliana de Narvaez and her father Dr. Luis Urrutia, comprises a community of workers and their families.

Funds from the foundation support workers and families by providing healthcare, housing, education, food and clothing. This work has resulted in a dramatic reduction of infant malnutrition and the elimination of moderate to severe malnutrition. Dr Luis Urrutia has been recognised by the UN for combating poverty in El Salvador.

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Bryan Unkles, Cafe Cereza founder and director, said: “Supporting producers has always been a fundamental part of Cafe Cereza as we believe in sustainability - and that means helping to provide a sustainable future for the people who farm our coffee. I have visited Monte Sion twice during the last five years and it is very close to our hearts.

“We know our funds, which we have started to donate quarterly, are already helping to make a difference. Our customers are able to see how the coffee they buy is directly supporting those who produce it.”

The Monte Sion estate has been producing gourmet sustainable coffee since 1906 and has been certified by the Rainforest Alliance since 2000; it is this level of quality that Cafe Cereza strives to supply to its customers. It is also a member of the Association of Sustainable Coffees of El Salvador.

Cafe Cereza, which was founded in Sheffield in 2012 and means ‘coffee cherry’ in Spanish, supplies the coffee to a range of cafes, bars and universities around the UK.

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Its eye-catching branding was a Gold Award Winner at the Fresh Creative Awards in 2013 and has been incorporated into new packaging, which is launching in September 2015.

The colourful new look is inspired by the brand’s slogan ‘coffee that makes you feel good’ and incorporates a bright yellow sun, purple hues and red coffee beans. The design incorporates elements of Central American street art seen by Bryan when visiting El Salvador.

Bryan said: “This is a gourmet sustainable coffee from a producer that does good work at source - we wanted the packaging to be dynamic, vibrant and fun so that customers and retailers will want to display it on their shelves.”

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