Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Pangoa (CAC Pangoa), located in San Martin de Pangoa just east of the Andes, was founded in 1977 by 50 farmers from the region who had splintered from the larger and older Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Satipo, due to the distance between their town and Satipo. In the early 1980s, Pangoa grew to nearly 1,700 members, and the future looked very promising. With an internal agreement to set aside three percent of every sale for internal investments, members were able to build much of the infrastructure that is still in use today. 

However, also around this time, Pangoa endured the turbulent era commonly known as “El Periodo del Terrorismo”, which lasted for the next 20 years. While many farmers left the cooperative, escaping the violence inflicted by the militant group, the Shining Path, Pangoa has since steadily built back membership. Today, Pangoa supports its members beyond the purchasing and selling of their coffee. They promote economic diversification through cacao production in lower elevations, honey production, and developing local markets for roasted coffee sales.

The early 2000s brought about an increased focus on specialty and solidarity markets. In 2001, Pangoa received FLO Fair Trade certification and quickly established two programs that continue serving members today: the Educational Fund; and the Health Services Fund. It also encouraged its members to switch to organics through a formalized program of training and documenting practices according to international organic standards. In 2002, Pangoa was granted its first organic certification. Today, a majority of its members are either in transition or fully certified organic.

Cooperative Coffees began working with Pangoa in 2005, importing their members' coffee with unique characteristics of medium body and rich cocoa, almond and berry notes, and medium acidity. We are proud of our continued partnership, and for further lending our support by funding training programs, and aiding in soil and farm management. In 2016, members took part in the Regenerative Soil Workshop, Diplomado Organica, in Marcala, Honduras. Pangoa has also received funding from Cooperative Coffees’ Carbon Climate and Coffee Initiative to support their Centres of Excellence program. This program began working with three model farmer plots in each of its 13 grower regions to serve as “showcase” farms, experimenting with and applying best organic practices. Pangoa members' response to this new program was immediate and enthusiastic, with many more farmers already interested in taking part. Centres of Excellence intend to highlight best practices, reforestation, and the best use of local resources to create fully integrated and diversified family farms that serve as a model to others.

Since 2009, on top of the aforementioned services provided by the cooperative to their community, Pangoa has promoted local ecotourism projects to supplement family incomes. Pangoa provides an exemplary model of the power of small-farmer cooperatives within Fair Trade.

Impact Work