Mexico – Maya Vinic

The Union de Productores Maya Vinic was established in 1999 by members of Las Abejas, a group of Tztotzil Mayans dedicated to achieving peace and justice through non-violent action. In December 1997, 45 of their members—mostly women and children—were killed while attending church by a paramilitary group in a horrific act of senseless violence.

Maya Vinic was founded to memorialize the land made sacred by the martyred Abejas, and to continue in the tradition of preserving Mayan heritage and a reverence for Mother Earth. Today, the group has a membership of 500 coffee producer families, organized by a General Assembly. The cooperative works to educate and expand commercialization of it agricultural products to continually improve living situations for its members.

In forming a cooperative organization, Maya Vinic farmers were able to overcome the longstanding struggle to bring their coffee to market. Through their collective resources, farmers could avoid selling to predatory local intermediaries, allowing them to make a living and invest in their trade and communities, while still enacting traditional Mayan values and cultural traditions. Fair Trade premiums have further contributed to community development in the region, while Maya Vinic provides educational programming, technical and administrative assistance, marketing, and arbitration services to its members through a group of Community Delegates. The organization also relies on the production and sale of honey, selling handmade textiles, and management of their cafe located in San Cristobal de Las Casas.

Maya Vinic farmers are located throughout Chiapas, Mexico, a highlands region encompassing altitudes of 900 to 1,400 meters above sea level. The cooperative produces Typica, Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Bourbon varieties of Arabica coffee. Maya Vinic coffee is characteristic of the Chiapas region, with a medium body, and a bright, citrus acidity, balanced by notes of milk chocolate, almond, honey, and an aroma of dried fruit. The cooperative achieved Fair Trade certification in 2001 and Organic certification in 2006.