Fighting Poverty and Migration In Mexico
This release from Union San Pedro is exciting for its exquisite taste as well as the amazing story of the coffee collective behind it.
a unique coffee collective
Union San Pedro is located in Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur Mountain range—one of the poorest regions in Mexico where coffee farming faces significant challenges.
With poverty rates between 60-80% and extreme poverty as high as 40%, life for the smallholder farmers who produce most of Mexico’s coffee is far from easy.
Over the past decade, coffee leaf rust disease and a lack of resources have ravaged yields, reducing production in Oaxaca by up to 90%. For comparison, where Colombian farmers average 2,400kg of coffee per hectare, the figure in Oaxaca is just 100kg.
This has made coffee farming increasingly unsustainable, leading many to abandon their fields in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
Yet, amidst these challenges, Union San Pedro looks to stem, and sway, the tide.
the perfect fit for bell lane
At Bell Lane, we know coffee can be used as a force for good. Union San Pedro embodies this belief with its focus on improving livelihoods, restoring the land, and creating opportunities for future generations.
Led by Salomon Garcia, Union San Pedro is a collective of eight smaller sub-associations representing 180 coffee-producing families. Salomon’s vision has been transformative:
- sustainability through diversity: by introducing edible forests—known as bosques comestibles—Union San Pedro has diversified crops with vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and cacao, improving soil health and providing additional income streams for farmers
- education and innovation: demonstration farms and coffee nurseries have been established to equip farmers with the tools and knowledge to boost yields sustainably for years to come
- youth engagement: with jobs created in nurseries, farms, and reforestation projects, Union San Pedro offers young people alternatives to urban migration, providing a vibrant future for the region
paying it forward
Our partnership with Union San Pedro goes beyond sourcing exceptional coffee. It’s about paying a premium that directly impacts lives.
By providing a stable, quality-based payment system, we ensure farmers receive up to 10 times more than the local market price. These predictable, significant returns empower families to reinvest in their farms, communities, and futures.
cool beans
Union San Pedro’s coffee reflects the dedication of the farmers who grow it. Using a mix of varieties, the beans are cultivated on small parcels of land, pulped with hand tools, and fermented in wooden tanks.
These traditional methods, combined with the unique terroir of the Sierra Sur, result in a coffee that’s rich in flavour as well as purpose. The final cup gives notes of red apple, toffee, and medjool.
coffee with a cause
When you cup Union San Pedro, you’re not just enjoying an exceptional cup of coffee—you’re standing with the farmers of Oaxaca in their fight against poverty and migration.
This is more than a coffee, it’s a cause, and we can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Get yours here.
