Timeline
ASOPROUNION
ASPROUNION is a non-profit association formed by small-scale farmers with high-quality coffee plots. ASPROUNION was legally established on November 20, 2001.
Two years prior, coffee farmers took control of their future, initiating reflection and laying the foundation for ASPROUNION, guided by the principles of solidarity, equity, and transparency.
Marketing: The first collective action was to buy the organization's coffee and sell it, but it wasn't easy. The coffee guild society wasn't prepared to understand that organized coffee farmers could have a company that systematically offered their production. Therefore, ASPROUNION's objectives were shared with the guild, and not only did they allow the purchase of coffee, but also the Coffee Federation facilitated resources for the purchase of the 2003 harvest.
For having commercialized coffee from coffee farmers (non-commercial) to Almacafé Pasto, exactly 1,117,170 kilograms of excellent quality Parchment Coffee; ASPROUNION receives the first bonus worth COP 340,000,000, which had no precedent up to that moment.
The marketing experience from 2002 to 2006 allowed ASPROUNION to present a project to the Second Peace Laboratory (human rights, governance, and production). The regional project was presented for EUR 811,000, and it was the only organization with an approved regional project. This project lasted until 2011 and allowed the organization to consolidate.
With the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce of Pasto (Seiky Program), ASPROUNION presented a project for COP 240,000,000, through which young people were trained and qualified in the coffee value chain. This resulted in the establishment of a tasting school and three cupping championships (in 2010, 2016, and 2018).
In 2010, ASPROUNION formalized the Colombian authorities the brand of roasted coffee "La Jacoba" with its special reserve of gold. That same year, they were granted an export license for roasted coffee and exported the first shipment of roasted coffee.
ASPROUNION was the first organization to be Fair Trade certified in the department of Nariño. This was achieved on May 17, 2011, and is still valid to date. Since that year, they began trading FLO coffee with Racafé & CIA SCA, with an increase each year.
In 2011, the first 500 kg of roasted coffee "La Jacoba" was exported to Australia.
In 2012, the scope of the license was expanded to export green coffee beans under the brand La Jacoba Coffee La Unión Nariño.
In 2013, an office was established for direct distribution to roasters in Australia.
In 2015, the market expansion process in Europe with origin-roasted coffees was developed in cooperation with Procolombia, FNC, and the CBI of the Netherlands and New Zealand. Additionally, the Denomination of Origin "Coffee from Nariño," Denomination of Origin "Coffee from Colombia," and Protected Designation of Origin were obtained.
Since 2017, ASPROUNION has found an ally in the Netherlands (Kinti Coffee), and work begins on developing strategies that generate impact for coffee producers. La Jacoba roasted coffee is offered at the source, and Kinti Café roasted in the Netherlands, thus supporting the productive processes of the region.
Our young coffee farmers are trained in different links of the coffee production chain, developing their skills and sowing ideas and projects that benefit the entire community. The contributions in training to coffee farmers and competitive prices make it an alternative for sustainable business development.
