Café Internacional Startup
Café Internacional embarked on a pioneering journey, establishing a groundbreaking coffee trading platform that transformed the dynamics of coffee commerce. This web application served as a bridge connecting coffee farmers, exporters, and roasters worldwide, fostering direct trade relationships and elevating the coffee industry.
Platform Features
Café Internacional's web application was more than just a platform; it was a catalyst for change in the traditional coffee trade landscape. The features of the platform included:
- Business Profiles Coffee farmers, exporters, and roasters could create detailed business profiles on the platform, showcasing their expertise, offerings, and unique attributes.
- Searchable Coffee Lots Users had the ability to explore and search for available coffee lots. Farmers made their high-quality coffee lots available for sale, providing roasters with an extensive and diverse selection.
- Purchase and Shipping Management The platform streamlined the purchasing process, allowing users to buy coffee directly. After the purchase, Café Internacional took charge of the international shipping logistics, ensuring a smooth and efficient delivery of coffee to roasters.
Direct Trade Opportunities
The platform facilitated direct connections between coffee farmers and roasters, enabling them to build meaningful relationships and collaborate on exclusive, high-quality lots of coffee.
International Collaboration
The impact of Café Internacional reached beyond digital transactions. We organized trips, bringing coffee roasters to farms in El Salvador and Guatemala. This immersive experience allowed roasters to meet farmers, witness their craft, and develop direct trade relationships that transcended traditional supply chain models.
Mission to Empower Farmers
At the core of Café Internacional's mission was the commitment to empowering coffee farmers. The platform provided a space for farmers to set aside high-quality lots, attracting roasters willing to pay a premium for exceptional coffee. This approach aimed to help farmers earn more for their coffee, recognizing the value of their craft and the uniqueness of their coffee lots.
Visual Storytelling and Sales
Café Internacional traveled extensively throughout Central America to onboard coffee farmers and coops onto the platform. The result was a diverse and global network of farmers contributing to the richness and variety of coffee offerings on the platform.
The platform allowed farmers to go beyond the transactional aspect, enabling them to upload images and provide descriptions of their beautiful farms. This not only promoted their coffee sales but also shared the stories behind each cup, creating a connection between coffee producers and consumers.
Café Internacional sold more than 30,000 lbs of coffee on the platform to roasters in the United States. Café Internacional's legacy is not just in pounds of coffee sold but in the enduring relationships forged, the empowerment of farmers, and the reimagining of coffee trade into a collaborative and equitable global endeavor.