It’s Monday. 6 am.

The alarm goes off and you groan. Another weekday begins, just a bit too early.

But the smell of coffee brewing wakes you up, and the comforting aromas make you anticipate those flavors you love. 

As you sip your favorite coffee, you can’t help but wonder if the woman who grew your coffee also sits at dawn in her kitchen, sipping on the coffee she grew as she contemplates the day ahead. 

Not every coffee brand lets you discover who grew that coffee. A brand that creates a connection that takes you beyond the flavors in your cup and into the life of the person whose hands cared for the plant, picked the coffee, and brought it to market. 

That connection you’ve been looking for is now here: 50 Amigas.

Who are the 50 Amigas?

50 Amigas is more than just a coffee brand. Similarly, the 50 women coffee growers in Colombia who inspired this brand and grow the coffee are more than just mothers, daughters, friends, and companions. 

These women are small business owners fighting to survive in the midst of conflict, inequality, and discrimination. They want to break free from the restraints they have felt their whole lives, both economic as well as social ones.

They dream of creating a better life for their families. 

And 50 Amigas brings them into your life so you can share their success in producing specialty coffee. 

Change comes slowly

For the women of 50 Amigas, coffee is a way of life. These middle-aged women have been involved with coffee cultivation their whole lives, learning it from their parents and grandparents. Coffee is not just their business; it’s an identity that they pass on to their children and grandchildren. 

Walking along muddy, unpaved country lanes to town with a sack of coffee is not glamorous. In fact, growing organic specialty coffee is simply hard work. But these 50 friends are used to working hard. Together, they find strength. 

They form a sisterhood of coffee growers. They help each other to remain independent, stay on their land, and preserve their traditions. 

They’re committed. Persistent. And they’re berracas – a Colombian word that they use to describe themselves, and that means they fight for what is right. 

They know that change takes time. But together, they can do it. As they say, “Together we move forward, making change happen.”

How does 50 Amigas connect you with these coffee growers?

50 Amigas helps coffee growers connect with consumers, share their hard work and dedication to producing great coffee, and increase their income. It provides recognition for the collective work they’ve been doing for over 20 years.  It’s a simple act. Buying a bag of coffee. It’s a weekly routine that leads to the daily routine of brewing a fresh cup. 

This brand, co-created with the women coffee growers, helps them produce organic specialty coffee, makes a social, environmental and economic impact, and provides transparency and traceability in the coffee chain.

This all happens when you purchase a product that the growers processed responsibly, reduced water consumption by 50%, composted, and used natural fertilizers. 

When you choose 50 Amigas, you learn more about them. You know who they are, what their coffee means to them and their families, and how coffee on a remote farm in Colombia can impact your life. You help coffee growers earn 5 times more. With your purchase, these women coffee growers become more autonomous in their choices about the money they receive, which empowers them to cover their needs and fulfill their personal and family dreams. 

Join your friends at 50 Amigas. Learn more about them and their journey to a better coffee and a better future. For all of us. #movingforward #together

Written by: Karen Attman - Latin American Coffee Academy