This year, three Rwandan coffee cooperatives, Buhanga, Kigembe and Nyampinga, received their first financing from Progreso, helping them strengthen their businesses and expand their market opportunities. For Buhanga and Kigembe, this support contributed to an important step: completing their first international coffee exports, with shipments reaching buyers in the United Kingdom. The three cooperatives are part of a wider group of six Rwandan cooperatives supported by Progreso, representing more than 3,600 farmers. From access to finance to access to markets For coffee cooperatives, fulfilling international orders requires more than producing high-quality coffee. They need working capital to purchase coffee from farmers, cover processing and logistics costs, and meet buyers’ quality and documentation requirements before receiving payment for their exports. Access to finance helps bridge this gap, enabling cooperatives to purchase coffee from their members, fulfil orders and explore new markets. The results are becoming visible in the cooperatives’ business performance.

On the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, Arabica coffee grows at altitudes of 1,500–2,300 metres above sea level. For the Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise (BIACE), the challenge is not only to produce quality coffee, but also to create greater value for the farmers who grow it. BIACE is a farmer-owned cooperative based in Bududa District, bringing together smallholder farmers through a network of primary cooperatives. Its work focuses on improving coffee production, strengthening collective marketing and opening doors to higher-value markets. Building value from farm to buyer The cooperative’s commitment to quality is reflected in its approach to processing and marketing. BIACE works with Arabica varieties including SL14, SL28 and Nyasaland, and processes coffee for export. Its approach combines quality improvement with traceability, helping connect coffee from farmers’ fields to buyers. For the 2 December 2026 Beyco Uganda Coffee Auction, BIACE is presenting Bududa Slopes Natural, a

Comentario, 18 de oct, Jos Algra El pecio de café en Nueva York tuvo un fuerte impulso el 6 de octubre, subiendo 11.40 centavos para cerrar en 304.45. El día siguiente subió más, hasta 308.35, pero luego se desplomó y cerró en 292.70. En los siguientes días tocó fondo en 283.30, pero en esta semana volvió a subir, destacándose el viernes, cuando llegó a 311.30 y cerró en 305.60, un aumento de 10.80 centavos en el día. Inicialmente el pecio aumentó por la preocupación por el impacto que el “Súper El Niño” puede tener en la producción de café en países importantes como Brasil, Vietnam e Indonesia a finales de este año. A eso se agregó el fortalecimiento del real brasileño ante el dólar, porque el candidato de la derecha Flavio Bolsonaro – hijo de Jair Bolsonaro, el expresidente que está preso por un intento de golpe de estado –

Commentary, Oct. 18, Jos Algra The price of coffee in New York saw a strong boost on October 6, rising 11.40 cents to close at 304.45. The following day, it climbed further to 308.35, but then plummeted, closing at 292.70. In the days that followed, it hit a low of 283.30, but it rebounded this week, most notably on Friday, when it reached 311.30 and closed at 305.60, an increase of 10.80 cents for the day. Initially, the price rose due to concerns regarding the potential impact of a “Super El Niño” on coffee production in major producing nations such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia later this year. Compounding this was the strengthening of the Brazilian real against the U.S. dollar, driven by the fact that right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro – son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned for an attempted coup – led in the first

A small chocolate factory where much of the work is still done by hand, a cooperative experimenting with growing mushrooms on cocoa waste, and conversations about how producer organisations can work more closely together. For Bas Huurman, former owner of The Chocolate Family and co-founder of SEM Foundation, his recent visit to Côte d’Ivoire was an opportunity to see first-hand how different initiatives are developing and where opportunities for future collaboration lie. Bas travelled to Côte d’Ivoire with An Ha, Managing Director of Progreso, as part of the collaboration between SEM Foundation and Progreso. SEM Foundation has been involved in initiatives in cocoa-producing countries for more than ten years. Building on the background of the family business The Chocolate Family, the foundation aims to give something back to the communities that produce cocoa. Through its collaboration with Progreso, SEM Foundation also contributes to strengthening producer organisations and developing the cocoa

For coffee and cocoa producer organisations, access to finance can open up business opportunities. But when harvests are uncertain, production is affected by climate and markets are unpredictable, financing alone is not enough. Building resilient organisations requires strong management, transparent governance and solutions that respond to farmers’ needs. During a partner sharing session in Bali on 8 October 2026, Progreso representatives An Ha and Daan Mulder met in an online session with Indonesian coffee and cocoa partners to discuss their business progress, how they use working capital, the challenges they face and their priorities for the year ahead. The conversations offered a valuable reminder of the realities facing agricultural businesses and the importance of looking beyond financing alone. Navigating an unpredictable growing season For coffee and cocoa businesses, production depends on conditions that are not always within their control. For example, on the island of Flores, where the cocoa cooperative

What does it take to build a stronger cooperative? For coffee and cocoa producers in Indonesia, it starts with a shared vision, clear priorities and a practical plan. In late September and early October 2026, Progreso facilitated governance and business-planning workshops with two partner cooperatives: Mitra Petani Toraja (MPT) in South Sulawesi and Koperasi Manik Amerta Buana (MAB) in Bali. Bringing together board members, supervisors, managers and farmers, the workshops helped participants define their ambitions and identify priorities for the coming years. Turning ambitions into concrete goals Participants worked together to establish shared goals for their cooperatives. For MPT, the ambition is to increase active members’ income by 30% by 2029, supported by a 30% increase in green bean production and a 10% increase in green bean sales. Priorities in its draft business plan include strengthening cooperative governance and member services, establishing an input-supply unit and developing a coffee nursery.

In the hills surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, coffee production offers farmers an opportunity to build livelihoods while living alongside one of the country’s most important protected forests. Limited income opportunities have historically contributed to some community members relying on forest resources for their livelihoods. Today, coffee farming provides an alternative source of income, including for some former poachers who have turned to agriculture. Bwindi Coffee Growers Cooperative Society brings together 859 farmers, including 205 young people, who grow Arabica and Robusta coffee in the area. For many farming households, coffee income helps cover everyday expenses such as school fees, healthcare and other household needs. The cooperative operates in a landscape of particular conservation importance. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to endangered mountain gorillas, and the livelihoods of surrounding communities are closely linked to the long-term sustainability of the area. By providing farmers with an opportunity to

Please welcome Albertino Huancas Julca to the Progreso Foundation team as our new Agroforestry Expert for Peru. Albertino is an agricultural technician with many years of experience working with farming families and organizations across strategic value chains, including coffee and cocoa. His work has taken him into the field with cooperatives, producer associations and NGOs, supporting agroforestry systems, local businesses and initiatives that strengthen rural livelihoods. He joined Progreso because he shares our belief that agroforestry can help farming families increase their incomes while protecting forests and biodiversity. In his new role, Albertino will work closely with producer organizations in Peru to support the adoption of profitable and sustainable agroforestry systems and help them respond to new market requirements, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). He will also bring his knowledge of the local context to help build stronger connections between Progreso’s global team and farming communities. Beyond his work,

On 2 December 2026, Beyco by Progreso Foundation and V Auction by Vollers will host an online auction featuring selected coffees from eight Ugandan cooperatives. From the volcanic slopes of Mount Elgon to the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and the communities surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, these coffees come from very different landscapes and from cooperatives with equally diverse stories. The participating cooperatives are Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise (BIACE), Butta Farmers’ Cooperative Society, Mt. Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise (MEACCE), Nyamirima Mutegaya Cooperative Society, Rwenzori Organic Farmers Mountain Harvest Cooperative Society (ROCS), Bundikakemba, Kilhubo and Bwindi Coffee Growers Cooperative Society. Behind each lot are farmers and cooperative teams working to improve both the coffee they produce and the businesses that connect them to the market. These are just some of the stories behind the coffees going under the hammer. Through its work with these cooperatives, Progreso supports improvements