Guatemala A'xola

Coffee Story
The producers of the A'xola Cooperative are the indigenous peoples of the Mayan Popti ethnicity. Founded in 1989 with 36 members in the community of Petatan, the A'xola Cooperative has grown to 150 members who work together to market and sell their high-quality coffee. As a group, they prioritize the participation of women and seek to improve the quality of life of all members and the environmental and social well-being of the community. In 2020, the Cooperative obtained a certification through MAYACERT to celebrate the coffees produced by women farmers. By acknowledging the role of women in the value chain, the Cooperative feels they can reduce the economic risks for women who grow coffee and go beyond coffee production to seek to improve women's access to formal education, prevent violence against women, and promote women's leadership and rights in the community. Of the group's 150 members, 43 are women certified to produce coffee Con Manos de Mujer. Once harvested and handpicked, the coffee is fully washed and sun-dried.