GHCA Annual Luncheon Featuring Aldo Annese, Aurora Studio Project: Commitment to Do Good

The Greater Houston Coffee Association hosted its annual luncheon on October 15, 2019, and featured guest speaker Aldo Annese, Director I&D of Aurora Studio Project. Annese flew in from Guatemala City, Guatemala for the event. Aurora Studio Project, part of Cepaglobal, is a best practice authentication program for business processes in Guatemala with a commitment to “do good”.

Aurora Studio Project’s goal is to “achieve profitability, excellence, economic and social growth, by maintaining a long term, friendly and equitable relationship with people, the community and the environment.” Annese discussed one of the Aurora’s success stories: improving lives and the regional economy in Verapaz, Guatemala, through the coffee industry. Verapaz is home to 529,000 individuals without basic literacy, which limits their ability to pursue education. The region is impoverished with high rates of poverty, leading to high migration from the farms into the marginal urban areas.

Annese and Aurora have worked with the local farmers to “create a sustainable system, with education for all, that is committed to bringing support to the associate’s family.” Aurora helps coffee producers reach their target markets directly, which dramatically increases the income that the coffee producers receive for their crops. Then, by educating the coffee producers and their communities on how to better spend and invest their earnings, the entire community can improve their standard of living. So far, farmers have sold 288,000 pounds of coffee using this system.

Annese closed the presentation with a challenge to the audience to “be a coffee seed in the hearts of the farmer and his community, being a part of their well-being and growth, committed for the good.”

Recap: 2018 Annual Luncheon

Nearly 80 professionals from the Houston-area coffee industry joined the Coffee Association at the 2018 Annual Luncheon on October 16, 2018. Albert Scalla, Senior Vice President, Commodities Division, at INTL FCStone, flew in from Miami, Florida, to be the keynote speaker. Scalla discussed the reasons that coffee prices are at a 12-year low.

Thank you to the 2018-2019 Annual Sponsor Cadeco Industries and to the Annual Luncheon Sponsors Cadeco Industries, Clark Freight Lines, Dupuy Storage Houston, Eximius Coffee, FreshBrew, and Port Houston.

Registration open for 2018 Annual GHCA luncheon

Arias at GHCA Luncheon

The Annual GHCA Luncheon will be held on October 16, 2018, in Houston, Texas.

Our guest speaker will be Albert Scalla, Senior Vice President of Trading at INTL FCStone. Mr. Scalla is flying in from Miami, FL, to address the topic: Why are coffee prices at a 12-year low?

Table sponsorships, annual sponsorships, and individual tickets are available. Register now at https://squareup.com/store/greater-houston-coffee-association or email Cristina Gomez at cgomez@txgulf.org.

Recap: 2017 Annual Luncheon

Modern Coffee World Perks to Preferences

By: Judith Schultz, GHPB

What is happening in the world of coffee? Michael Gaviña, incoming chair of the National Coffee Association (NCA), answered that question at the October 12th luncheon hosted by the Greater Houston Coffee Association in conjunction with the Port Bureau at the DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Hobby Airport.

Gavina at GHCA Luncheon
Michael Gaviña, incoming chair of the National Coffee Association presents: What’s brewing in the coffee trade?

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