Since 2022, we have been active with the Toca project in the Sierra de Zongolica in Mexico. Last year, the cooperative took a huge step forward. The producers built a microbenefit, process coffee cherries centrally, and continuously improve coffee quality. Through a co-investment, we evolved from buyers to partners – the potential is enormous, and sustainable change is possible.
The Toca project has made enormous progress. In March 2025, I was on site and was impressed and delighted to see how the producers built their own small processing facility (microbenefit), became entrepreneurs, and look toward the future with great enthusiasm.
A brief retrospective
In the fall of 2022, we launched the Toca project in the Sierra de Zongolica, in the south of the state of Veracruz. The idea was to support a newly formed cooperative of smallholder producers on the path to organic-regenerative agriculture, create new market access, and continuously improve coffee quality.
We roast the coffee from the project as "Toca" – a dark espresso with heavy body, soft texture, and balanced acidity.
In spring 2023, the group dissolved. Disagreements, different ideas, and a lack of consensus on pricing split the group. A smaller, new group came together, from which the association "Citlal Kaffen" emerged in 2024 – in English: Coffee Star. Since March 2025, Citlal Kaffen is now officially a cooperative.
The importance of forming a collective
The joining together of smaller producers into a group is essential:
- As a cooperative, they are efficient in administration,
- benefit from collective purchasing,
- have better sales conditions,
- expanded market access, and
- gain access to financial support.
Moreover, they share infrastructure and risk, which gives them a stronger voice and stronger branding through their collective presence.
Our goal from the beginning was to support the group in such a way that they have every opportunity to pursue their path independently.
We want to avoid dependencies. That's why organic certification was a priority from the start, as it remains even if our relationship were to end. By now, half of the producers are organically certified.
A group meeting at Don Germán's farm
The Sierra de Zongolica and coffee cultivation
Zongolica lies between the hills of the Sierra, surrounded by cloud forests and impressive flora and fauna. The region attracts many day tourists who explore the mountains and cloud forest. But despite this beauty, there are also dark clouds: Security in the surrounding industrial towns like Córdoba and Orizaba has deteriorated, and coffee and cocoa are frequently stolen.
There continue to be major challenges at the political and economic level: The US administration has imposed 25% import tariffs on Mexican goods, making coffee exports to the US unattractive. Furthermore, many US-funded infrastructure projects through USAID, such as road construction projects and support for long-term projects by development organizations are no longer possible because funding has been cut. Mexico also lacks labor, and migration numbers are rising, contrary to the hostile migration policy in the US.
Despite these difficult circumstances, I was able to observe the growth of the Toca project and the positive changes at Ensambles and Citlal Kaffen. This cooperative has taken an impressive step by founding the "Coffee Star" (Citlal Kaffen). I was able to witness the development of the producers and progress in setting up a microbenefit.
With the group at the Solar Drier - the drying tent for the coffees
Citlal Kaffen: A young cooperative with big goals
The cooperative has renovated the benefit and is now the owner. The microbenefit is located on Don Germán's farm. It is more than 100 years old and was a benefit until 2013, before the Roya coffee rust epidemic forced many farmers to abandon coffee production. The microbenefit closed as well, but we have now brought it back to life.
The benefit stood idle for ten years. Now we have revived it
The benefit is located in the hamlet of Apixtepec, a small hamlet in the Sierra de Zongolica, on the main road. It is amazing to see how the group built a functioning microbenefit from simple means – with bamboo, wood, and second-hand equipment. A true example of sustainability and creativity.
The producers not only contributed their expertise but also their labor to build and operate the benefit. In five so-called "faenas" (work days), the 13 members dug out the ground, leveled it, and built the benefit as well as the drying facility.
Protected from moisture and UV rays, the coffee is finished drying in the drying tunnel
With this facility, the cooperative can process the coffee cherries of its members, but also has the potential to do so for other producers. This allows Citlal Kaffen to offer a service and diversify the cooperative's income.
In just one season (November 2024 to March 2025), the cooperative learned a lot about careful coffee processing. Ensambles conducted workshops with the group to further increase quality. The coffee cherries are now first "floated," meaning sorted in a water tank. Unripe and overripe cherries float to the surface and are separated. Afterwards, the coffee cherries are fermented in barrels. The cherries are filled to about half the barrel and sealed. A valve allows the CO2 produced during fermentation to escape.
Fermentation times for the washed coffees have so far been between 20 and 42 hours, but have not yet shown significant results. Times in the barrel for the natural experiments were over 60 hours and showed clear, fruity, and chocolatey notes.
Co-investment – how we work
Today, Citlal Kaffen as a cooperative is the owner of the microbenefit. The cooperative rents its location from Don Germán, who makes the land on his property available.
The investments for building the microbenefit and establishing the cooperative came from different sources:
- Ensambles: provided workshops on coffee processing and supported the cooperative's development.
- Citlal Kaffen: invested in the form of labor for building the benefit and by providing building materials.
- Black Hen: financial contribution for equipment.
- Kaffeemacher GmbH: financial contribution for equipment.
We understand co-investment as an instrument to ensure that all partners involved act on equal footing. All parties make their contribution, and the project becomes a joint endeavor. As a roastery, we are no longer just buyers, but project partners who demonstrate through a monetary contribution that we are interested not only in raw coffee, but in the development of a community and a project on site.
Innovation in coffee processing
The coffee processing process was particularly impressive: The coffee cherries are sorted, fermented, and then dried in a solar drier. During drying and fermentation, there were small challenges: The group found that fermentation effects were not yet significant, which led to discussion about whether more fermentation time would be worthwhile to improve the coffee's sensory profile. This remains to be clarified, as fermentation techniques can be further optimized.
In the cupping lab at Ensambles in Coatepec: the coffees were convincing
The new payment system, which is based on quality and staggered payouts, has also brought about a cultural shift in the cooperative.
Step 1:
Producer X brings 100 kg of coffee cherries to the benefit. She receives 18.50 Pesos/kg of first-grade coffee cherries – these are the cherries that are further processed after the floating process. The second grade is dried and sold on the local market.
Step 2:
The coffee cherries are processed and dried. Once the coffee arrives at Ensambles in Coatepec, it is hulled and sorted. This results in the "Rendimiento" – the yield of green coffee.
Based on the uniformity and density of the green coffee, the second payment now takes place from Ensambles to Citlal Kaffen for each kilogram of green coffee, who then pays out the producer.
This system of double payment initially had to be established and accepted. However, it quickly became clear that it brings clear financial benefits for all parties involved. But above all, it enables knowledge transfer between Ensambles, who taste the coffee and then sell it to us, and the producers, who benefit from laboratory tips to improve their products.
Once all coffees are finished drying, they are transported from Apixtepec to Coatepec
Next milestones
- Within a year, all producers should have completed organic certification. That will be a major milestone.
- Optimization of fermentation processes continues: Which approaches have a positive impact on taste?
- The parchment should dry even more slowly, which will have a positive impact on the coffee's shelf life.
- The potential for natural coffees in larger quantities is being explored.
- On the farms, old plants are being replaced with the varieties Tabi and Pink Bourbon, which will further increase quality.
We are more than confident that cooperation with Citlal Kaffen and Ensambles will become increasingly intense and we look forward to the next steps.
