Cooperative Market Engagement Process
A GENERAL REFERENCE TOOL FOR CONGOLESE COFFEE COOPERATIVES
INTRODUCTION
This reference tool is for Congolese coffee cooperatives who want to navigate the global coffee marketplace better and grow their organizations.
Many working across the Congolese coffee industry aspire to reach a broader and more sustainable global audience with their product. In support, Élan RDC and Higher Grounds Trading Co. (also one of the founders of Saveur du Kivu) partnered with the leading coffee media company, Perfect Daily Grind (PDG), to realize the Cooperative Market Engagement Process Map. The partnership created this tool to help producers grow their understanding and familiarity with common processes and requirements that facilitate positive exchanges with buyers in the marketplace.
Current Coffee Market Requirements
Coffee is a commodity that follows a standardized trade contract based on the New York Stock Exchange. Top-quality coffee can be considered a specialty coffee after it is graded by a certified cupper, receives a score above 80 points on a 0 to 100 scale, and is carefully harvested and processed.
Beyond a commodity, specialty coffee is a premium product Specialty coffee relies on a long chain of relationships:
