Re:Colecta | Baraka Coffee Co.

REcolecta is an initiative that looks to incentivize coffee pickers in Puerto Rico through a contest at selected farms in which cash prizes will be given to the top three pickers at the end of the harvest season. With these efforts, we hope to not only revive this ailing sector but to also attract new people to these farms who so desperately need them. Sandra Farms in Adjuntas, was the first participating farm.

Contrary to popular belief, one of the major obstacles that coffee producers face year after year is the lack of available labor during the harvest season. This problem only intensifies when it comes to the Specialty Coffee industry where the level of skill and care required from the pickers is of utmost importance.

For this reason, it is very important for us to use this platform to re-educate the public about the virtues of this profession as well as to create awareness of the fact that agriculture is inextricably linked to our economic and social well being. As part of this initiative, a limited number of art works inspired by the coffee pickers will be made available to the public through a collaboration with various local artists.

FAQ's

How does it work?

During the pilot season of the program, the first participating farm will instruct coffee pickers to only pick ripe coffee cherries throughout the duration of this year's harvest at that particular location. All the coffee that is collected will be inspected for quality and logged into a daily report. At the end of the season, these reports will be added up and the top 3 pickers will be awarded with cash prices.

I am a coffee picker. How do I participate?

Once the program is up and running, a number of coffee farms will be selected to participate. These farms will be announced through our website and social media platforms. Also, ReColecta signs and rules will be placed at these farms. All you have to do is to look for work at one or more of these farms for a chance to win.

I am a coffee farmer. How do I get my farm enrolled in this program?

Available spots will be announced prior to the upcoming season. Coffee farms that comply with certain requirements for coffee quality will be able to apply for that season. Once selected, you will be able to use this incentive as a tool to attract coffee pickers to your farm.

I love Puerto Rican coffee. How can I help?

As part of the fund raising aspect of the program, we will be offering limited art pieces from renowned local artist inspired by the coffee pickers through our website. The proceeds from these sales will go to cover the cash prizes and expenses associated with each participating farm. The more we are able to collect, the more farms will be able to enroll.

We are an organization. How can we support this initiative?

If you are interested in helping us expand the reach of this program feel free to contact us at info@barakacoffee.com to see how we can work together.