Our Story
Honduras is a beautiful country with incredible potential but it faces daunting challenges. Many families depend on farming for their livelihoods and coffee is the backbone of its agricultural economy. Despite this, poverty remains very high. Inequality, lack of access to education, and limited healthcare add to the burden on many communities.
The seeds of Elevar Coffee Organization were planted in 2016 when Lance and Lisa Buffinga met Arturo Colindres while on a mission trip to Olancho, Honduras. Arturo had been working for years with local communities living in extreme poverty. The Buffingas joined Arturo to find ways to help local families escape poverty using the potential of the coffee production in the area. They began to export coffee and sell it in the U.S. through Galana Coffee.
In 2021, Elevar Coffee Organizaion was officially formed bringing individual small farmers together to improve the quality of their coffee and increase access to exports markets with a fair price per pound. Elevar partnered with the organization Partners Worldwide to form a team of Business Affiliate volunteers to support these goals.
Many farmers had been forced to sell their coffee in-country for less than the cost of production and had neglected or abandoned their fields altogether, so training in cultivation, fertilization, and drying techniques were a high priority. Elevar’s first export of 17,138 pounds of green coffee beans was successfully executed in 2022.
Elevar also learned about the export market and how to negotiate the complex logistics of processing, import/export procedures, and contracting with buyers. More small roasters began to purchase coffee from Elevar.
The next year Elevar grew to 34 farmers. Many farmers had not fertilized the year before because the price of fertilizer had dramatically increased. As a result, their coffee yields were down and Elevar began working on increasing all farmers’ yields. Elevar received a grant to finance the purchase of fertilizer which producers had not been able to afford.
Elevar increased not only the quality but the quantity of export coffee to more than 30,000 pounds. Many farmers saw their family income increase dramatically earning nearly $2.00 per pound of coffee. Some Elevar producers were able to compete in the micro lot market and earn even more.
In 2023, Elevar transitioned leadership from its founding director to Eduardo Acosta. Along with staff members Juan and Sandra and the support of the board, Partners Worldwide, and the Business Affiliate team, Elevar began to look for ways to address challenges and grow.
The main concerns were if there was a larger market if member farmers produced more coffee; and if commodity prices dropped, whether they would even be able to sell their coffee in export markets. Most pressing was the fact that farmers couldn’t pay the upfront costs needed to produce a high-quality harvest while waiting to be paid months later.
The Business Affiliate team with the support of Partners Worldwide created a strategy to address these concerns by taking on the risk so that Elevar farmers could concentrate on what they do best: grow and harvest coffee. They committed to a guaranteed minimum price and to find export markets for all the coffee Elevar’s famers produced. A three-stage advance payment process at low interest was also established which alleviated the farmers’ stress. Because of this strategy, Elevar producers were able to increase their exportable green coffee to 44,875 pounds for the regional lot plus an additional four micro lots.
Elevar has big goals for the future, namely achieving sustainability within 4 years. To do this, export volume of coffee needs to increase to 150,000+ pounds. Elevar will focus on increasing yields per manzana and add an average of 20 additional producers per year who align with Elevar’s goals and core values: sustainable, regenerative farming practice; fair pay for workers; and elevating the communities where they live.
Elevar is also providing business training through the Partners Worldwide micro enterprise curriculum and rolling out a cost-analysis program to all member farmers. The goal is to educate all Elevar farmers in best farming and business practices.
Another priority is to continue expanding the fertilizer fund so all farmers can fully fertilize in order to produce more coffee at a higher quality. Elevar is also pursuing certifications that will validate and promote best farming practices, further ensuring sustainable growth.
For the 2025-26 harvest, Elevar projects that 80 family farms will produce over 316,000 pounds of coffee, generating over $226,000 in export sales and providing more than 1,380 jobs in the process. The long-term goal is sustainability: by 2027-28, Elevar aims to be fully self-sufficient, ensuring that our coffee farmers and their families have a secure and prosperous future.
