Today, we’re very happy to present the third episode of “Cost of Production and Profitability for Coffee Producers,” a session recorded at Re:co Symposium this past April. Buyers and producers alike need to understand what it takes to produce specialty coffee so that it can be produced sustainably, so we convened experts to ask: Do we really know what specialty coffee costs? If you haven’t listened to the previous episodes in this series, we strongly recommend going back to listen before you continue with this episode. What role do cooperatives play in the resilience of the specialty coffee sector? Merling Preza, who was one of the founders of PRODECOOP in1993 and now serves as its General Manager, reflects on the experience of farmers in Estelí, Nicaragua, and the surrounding areas during the current price crisis, the crisis of the early 2000s, and the years in between. Special Thanks to Toddy This talk from Re:co Boston is supported by Toddy. For over 50 years, Toddy brand cold brew systems have delighted baristas, food critics, and regular folks alike. By extracting all the natural and delicious flavors of coffee and tea, Toddy Cold Brew Systems turn your favorite coffee beans and tea leaves into fresh cold brew concentrates, that are ready to serve and enjoy. Learn more about Toddy at http://www.toddycafe.com. Related Links - Find a full transcript of this episode on SCA News: www.scanews.coffee/podcast/62/reco-podcast-merling-preza-on-the-role-of-cooperatives-s2-ep-3/ - Watch the full Re:co video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2NFMdtIDC0k - Watch all the Re:co videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatGCytR9fuOt9N6tlPZKCg - Read more about our 2019 Re:co speakers: https://www.recosymposium.org/2019/speakers Subscribe to this podcast on your favorite app: - iTunes: www.apple.co/2sXdmSj - Stitcher: www.bit.ly/2JBJOk8 - Pocket Casts: www.bit.ly/2JBowTT - RadioPublic: www.bit.ly/2JCfeGY Table of Contents 0:00 Introduction 2:15 What is Prodecoop and its vision 6:15 How does today’s crisis compare to the one Prodecoop survived in 2001? 11:00 What is the value buying from a cooperative? 14:15 What do coffee producers need in this moment? 16:45 How talking about this issue continuously in public forums impacts Merling personally 19:45 Outro --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/specialty-coffee-association-podcast/message