SOPPEXCCA - Unión Cooperativas Agropecuarias de Servicios

UCA Soppexcca, or the Unión de Cooperativas Agropecuarias de Servicios Soppexcca, formed in Jinotega, Nicaragua in 1997. In 1999, the union began selling into the international coffee market. It developed a structure based on the democratic participation of each and every producer, from all cooperatives, into which a youth movement was also integrated. This movement has already produced many coffee inspectors, barristas, counselors for the improvement of quality, environmentalists and groups of young painters. The youth movement prepares programs of alphabetization, music and cultural education. From humble beginning, the association today has over 650 producers and is organized into 15 cooperatives in the region.

One of the reasons the organization chose to become Fair Trade Certified™ was because the opportunity for a better price meant improving their standard of living. So far, their vision is to build a better production model through environmental and economically sustainable strategies that ensure the organization's viability. It has been challenging for the cooperatives to produce coffee in a sustainable environment, while keeping a food security strategy in mind that will help increase revenue through the diversification of production. The cooperative is working to improve their productive infrastructure with help from Fair Trade premiums.