Our story

by mirally

OUR STORY

Since 2012, Osmin and his team have been clearing, developing and improving the coffee plantation and its facilities. With all the work done to-date to clear, clean up and prepare the soil for growing coffee, the farmable area will continue to be expanded in the years to come

OUR HISTORY

Osmin is the son of generations of coffee producers in El Salvador. He grew up and worked in the Salvadorian coffee industry until he arrived in Canada in 1987. Here, he settled down and built a life in keeping with Canadian values: he started a family, developed his masonry business in the Montreal area and may very well have crossed paths with you in your day-to-day activities.

But his dream was to pass down his origins to the next generation. In 2013, he bought land in Nicaragua to allow him to rebuild a coffee plantation in keeping with his knowledge and values. Because he works as a mason during the construction season, he trained his sister and delegated oversight of his plantation to her, and today, she is one of the rare women to administer a coffee plantation. A family history carries on.

Our ESG contribution

Finca Renacer and Fincafé are the two arms of the same mission: ensuring the quality and traceability of grains, aiming for quality in all and maintaining the sustainability of the plantation while respecting our humans so that coffee is at the heart of the heritage. And that’s why we’ve made some of the goals of the UN sustainable development strategies our own. A legacy of ethical coffee through direct trade.

Discover our objectives

Finca Renacer provides employment to a hundred workers including several women during the harvest period and thus participates in the economic development of a poorly developed mountainous region economically. Eliminating poverty begins with stable employment and a decent income, hence the contribution of Fincafé who markets the production of the plantation and thus allows employment stability.

We provide plantation employees with healthy, nutritious food and sufficient food by providing them with the three meals of the day. A cook is on site year round to manage meals, menus, food, reduce waste and losses, ensure the safety of the kitchen and manage food distribution among employees. Thus, we know that at least these families will be free from hunger as long as they are employed by Finca Renacer. We cannot do it at the level of the territory or the State, but in our way contribute to it at the level of working families.

In addition, Finca Renacer rents near Matagalpa vegetable lands reserved for the cultivation of beans so dear to Nicaraguan meals. Thus a constant supply of quality beans at lower cost is guaranteed!

This goal has broad targets to reduce communicable diseases, child mortality, accidents, etc. At the plantation level, the contribution is more in the order of the constant presence of a qualified nurse with the equipment and products necessary for rapid intervention in case of problematic situations. If the budget allowed it, it would be interesting for this nurse to have a dispensary in good form, equipped with the necessary products to maintain the health of the employees’ children and prevention with the workers. Perhaps later on let’s contribute to it at the level of working families.

In addition, Finca Renacer rents near Matagalpa vegetable lands reserved for the cultivation of beans so dear to Nicaraguan meals. Thus a constant supply of quality beans at lower cost is guaranteed!

Sustainable development is fueled by the education of individuals. Currently the Renacer plantation is taking small steps in this area with young people and local communities through direct interventions with individuals targeted for their interest and involvement. For example, the administration and manager of the plantation was able to obtain his university degree in Agricultural Engineering thanks to the financial involvement of the plantation. Three children of employees also received financial support during their studies (…), and plan to join the ranks of plantation teams at the end of their studies. Also, the San Antonio Village Elementary School has been able to receive an annual budget for new supplies (dictionaries, pencils, notebooks, etc.) for new classes since 2015.

Almost everywhere, women suffer from a lack of access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender pay gaps. In many situations, they are denied access to education and basic health care and are victims of violence and discrimination. This is what we have been fighting since the beginning at Finca Renacer: the management of the plantation is provided by a woman who had access to a high level of education and supported by the plantation budget. It involves the foremen of the plantation and specific activities (food crops), who are also responsible for applying wage rules that eliminate wage gaps and promote equitable hiring between men and women.

Water is an abundant commodity in the plantation. The respect of laws such as the protection of banks, the filtration in five basins of the water of washing of the coffee, the non-rejection of these waters directly in the rivers and streams, the supply of running water of the dormitories of the workers, the installation of water collectors are all examples of rules put in place for respect for the water richness of the plantation.

In the face of the global poverty eradication challenge, we are part of our commitment to create jobs for vulnerable groups, especially women, youth, the unemployed rural workforce and low-income urban dwellers.

Paragraph 2 of the declaration recalls that “industrialization is a driver of development. Industry increases productivity, stimulates job creation and generates revenue. It contributes to poverty eradication and other development goals, provides opportunities for social inclusion, including promoting gender equality, empowering women and girls and creating decent jobs for young people. As industry grows, more value is being added and more science, technology and innovation are being applied, encouraging greater investment in training and education, and draining resources to achieve broader inclusive and sustainable development goals.”

Goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to establish sustainable consumption and production patterns. Sustainable consumption and production, as defined by the Oslo Symposium in 1994, concern “the production and use of goods and services that meet essential needs and contribute to improving the quality of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants, throughout the life cycle, so as not to endanger the needs of future generations.” Thus crucial choices have been made to eliminate products with high toxicity, the reasoned and calculated use of mature trees of the plantation, the protection of virgin jungles spaces, the disposal of food waste by farm animals and the intelligent disposal of industrial waste.

Finca Renacer, like its neighbours, is very sensitive to this aspect since the plantation has been experiencing the consequences of climate change since a few years after some extreme events of unprecedented magnitude.  by the winds, the rains and their consequences. To counter the strength of strong winds, resistant varieties are adopted such as the Marsellese; for heavy rains, drainage channels and wooden walkways have been built;  against warming that promotes the spread of coffee rust, a diversification of resistant varieties, the planting of fruit trees and the diversification of so-called noble tree species allow a rich permaculture rather than a unique mono-culture of coffees.

OUR VALUES

Environment

Like our customers, we are committed to protecting the environment from the impacts of our actions and our consumption.

However, the coffee industry is not carbon neutral and won’t be for a while because Canada does not produce coffee beans and must import them. And we cannot yet charter a sailboat for our deliveries… On the other hand, where we can, we try to be environmentally conscious. For example, we recuperate jute bags for reuse, coffee grounds for composting, ensure that packaging is compostable, that the production of coffee in the plantation is equitable and respectful of the soil, the banks, the seedlings, and berries. We pay as much attention to the environment as we do to people. Fincafé can play a role at this level, and it is a priority for us to find ever more coherent and impact-conscious alternatives.

Sustainability of coffee varieties

We are conscious of the fact that the fruits of the earth bear the future of our children and that we must respect our primary resource and its soil.

For this reason, Finca Renacer grows different varieties of coffee on its land. The original coffee varieties (those represented in the coffee family tree) may be genetically pure and highly sought after by purists, but in all their original authenticity they are in danger of disappearing in the short term due to climate change and endemic diseases affecting intensive plantations. The hybrid varieties, on the other hand, developed to offer better resistance to diseases and nematodes, have better productivity and preserve the biodiversity of coffees. That is why Finca Renacer combines different coffee varieties to ensure the sustainability of the plantation and maintain a healthy and sustainable future for the microlots.

Traceability

The quality of our coffee also depends on the traceability of the varieties grown in the microlots and care adapted to the needs of these plant varieties and their soil, which takes into account the altitude and micro-climate of the production site.

The drying and fermentation processes that occur following the picking also accentuate certain characteristics and are chosen according to the facilities of the producer and the “beneficio” (processing center). The methods may include natural, washed, honey, or anaerobic honey. The roasting step, in turn, accentuates certain aromas and attributes at the discretion of the artisan roaster. FINCAFÉ rigorously notes the origin of each microlot, from its processing to its movements, to confirm all the factors influencing its production.

The combination of all these factors generates exclusive coffees, distinct from one microlot to another, and integrated with a precise management of their traceability. Thus, Fincafé can guarantee the authenticity of the varieties produced by Finca Renacer and the lack of mixed beans and batches. This is how FINCAFÉ supplies varieties such as Caturra, Paraïnema, Maragogype, and all the others. Thus, you will not buy Nicaragua at Fincafé but rather, Caturra, Paraïnema, Catimor, and other sorted varieties. Geographical designations do not appear in the coffee variety tree, which is our reference…

Equitability

The fairness of our trade and our willingness to take care of those who take care of your coffee are important values for Fincafé.

FINCA RENACER seeks a balance between the cost of harvesting (from the ground to the cup) and the growing site, the characteristics of the variety, and the production methods, while using high-quality maintenance products that present the fewest negative impacts possible. This balance has been difficult to achieve since they have tripled in cost, as have sea and road transport costs which have more than tripled in the pandemic, but this balance is maintained thanks to direct trade between Osmin (the producer) and customers (roaster customers and FINCAFÉ customers). We believe that transparency about cost factors is a starting point for discussing equitability and direct trading.

However, people are also at the heart of our concern with equitability. Therefore, the salary scale is the same for men and women, and social benefits include advancement according to seniority and performance. There are three meals a day, contributions to school fees, medical care, and accommodation as needed, in addition to the benefits and standards established by national laws. We contribute to supplying the local school and providing financial support to employees seeking advancement. Our first example of this was Reina, the steward of FINCA RENACER. A nurse by profession, she agreed to study to become an engineer in agronomy, supported by income from Finca. In 2021, Elvin Andino Godinez, an employee, accepted this offer and also pursued studies in agronomy… thereby advancing from the position of planter to junior foreman. Given these successes, we are considering the idea of ​​establishing a scholarship system for committed employees.

PRICE

Would you like for the price of your coffee to go directly to the plantation that produces it for you?
You should know that despite consumer goodwill and the convincing messages of the industry, an average of only 10% of the price paid per pound will go to the producer. The price of coffee paid to the producer is generally established according to the stock market price with or without a premium, depending on the year, the quality, and the wholesaler. Since the onset of the pandemic and the disruption and resumption of global goods production chains, the cost of shipping has skyrocketed. Environmental conditions aggravated by climate change have also had a major impact on coffee production. These factors are essential for you to have your brew. On the other hand, with Fincafé, a greater proportion of your purchase goes to the plantation and the installations on site, as the producer of Finca Renacer is also a partner of Fincafé. La Finca Renacer and Fincafé: the two arms that serve your cup.

Prix moyen payé par le consommateur pour une livre de café de qualité : 25$
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OUR VISION

The values expressed here are the soul of Fincafé and Finca Renacer. As we are at our best when we have a positive impact on our surroundings, in whatever form, Finca Renacer and Fincafé are two arms of the same mission: to ensure the quality and traceability of our beans, to aim for quality in everything, and to maintain the sustainability of the plantation while respecting our people, so that our coffee is at the heart of our legacy.

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