Our role as middleman is not merely to bind the creators of green and roasted coffee to one another. Our role is to create a form of trade that is based on empathy - and no better way to create empathy than through conversation. For this special day, we wanted to talk about coffee, but from a women’s point of view. So we brought together women roasters and producers and invited them to ask questions to one another, in couples. TSU (or more specifically Milena) was the messenger: connecting four continents and all sides of the value chain.
Scroll down to read the conversations between Katja (Germany) & Maristela (Brazil), Gloria, Rosebella, Jane, Mary Tonjes (Kenya) & Isabelle (Belgium), Ellen (Brazil) & Sarah (Belgium) and Komal (India) & Charlotte (France).
Katja & Maristela
Maristela: How is your work with coffee in Europe? Is there any prejudice on the part of men?
Katja: I have worked in the European coffee industry in Germany, Spain, and the UK, and I was always lucky to work with very tolerant and respectful people, male and female. I haven't encountered much prejudice from men, but I am aware that plenty of women have other stories to tell. Men are 'louder' within the industry, and women often lack confidence. I do see changes in that area, though, and more confident women are taking their place in the spotlight.
Maristela: How does it feel to roast a coffee produced and prepared by female hands in Brazil or other parts of the world?
Katja: I take pride in working with strong women everywhere. I am aware that women's rights or even culturally informed gender role thinking poses real problems and challenges for women in many coffee-growing regions. I want to consciously work with female producers and ask questions about women's roles in producing the coffee that ends up on my table to make a positive difference over time.
Maristela: Do you only work with roasting or produce coffee too?
Katja: I run my own roasting business, and I have one (female) employee. We roast coffee and sell it to retail and wholesale customers.
Maristela: For me, it's a pleasure to work with coffee. Today I'm known as a specialty coffee producer, and my work is known and valued through the Pioneer Northern Coffee Women project Paraná Brasil. I love working with coffee. Do you face difficulties? Are you valued for your work?
Katja: I have to admit I haven't tried your coffee yet, but I will make sure to ask for a sample next time I talk to the guys from TSU :) I share your love for working with coffee, though! There is always more to learn when it comes to this beautiful product. As for my experience working in this industry, personally, I have always felt valued and respected. Now that I work for myself, I get to have a more active say in who I work with, and if I ever do get the feeling that a customer or partner doesn't value or respect me, I can simply choose not to work with them. In most cases, though, you will be treated the same way if you treat others with respect and kindness. In your country, what are the main differences between a man working in the coffee sector and a woman working in the coffee sector? What kind of jobs are there for women? Is the pay different? Can you own land as a woman and run a business under your own name?
Maristela: Here in Brazil, the difference between the work of men and women coffee farmers is that women cannot handle heavy work, like lifting a bag of mature or processed coffee weighing 60 kilos. The work done by the women is the same as the men in the typical harvest, harvesting, working at the coffee washer and husker, in the yard, and in the processing of coffee preparations. The difference is that the men bear more weight and do the heavy work, which renders the service more…
And the value of the woman's work in the fields is a little less due to the issue of not being able to carry a lot of weight, but she knows how to do the same work that men do...
Today we can have our own piece of land with our name. It's our own business!
Katja: One thing I personally love about working in coffee is that there are so many things to learn - you never stop learning. Is there something you would like to learn about coffee?
Maristela: I know almost everything about coffee, from handling the harvesting plant to post-harvesting.
Katja: What do you think the differences are between a woman working in the coffee sector in a coffee-producing country and a woman working in the coffee sector in a coffee-consuming country?
Maristela: It is that right here, not holding up to the heavy work, we do it anyway, we give it a go and do the job, and you then receive the coffee ready to roast. You don't need to take so much weight. We also help our husband. Sometimes we have to do heavy work, especially during the harvest, it's very heavy, it's very tiring!
The North of the Rift Women in Coffee (Gloria, Susan, Dr. Rosebella, Jane and Mary Tonjes) & Isabelle.
NRWC: Do you face any kind of discrimination in the industry as a woman?
Isabelle: As the founder of a coffee roasting company in Belgium, I quickly learned that the world of entrepreneurship is far from easy. Being a female entrepreneur can present specific gender related challenges, but fortunately, I have not personally faced gender stereotypes. In Europe, the cultural climate is more supportive of gender equality than in Africa.
However, as a woman of African origin working in the coffee roasting industry in Europe, I often feel like an outsider. Although there is a diversity of cultures in Europe, there is still a lack of representation and visibility for women of color in the coffee roasting industry. This lack of diversity can be isolating.
Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that discrimination is not the only factor limiting success. The coffee industry is luckily unique in that it brings people together. I have been fortunate to meet amazing people from all walks of life who have helped and supported me on my entrepreneurial journey to this point. It is essential to remember that despite the difficulties and potential discrimination, there are always people willing to help.
In summary, the lack of diversity and representation of women can be daunting, but by persevering we can contribute to a more inclusive coffee roasting industry in Europe and beyond.
NRWC: What inspired you to go to the coffee world?
Isabelle: My professional aspirations have always been driven by a deep desire to bring positive change to the world. While some may consider this idealistic, my experiences working with various organizations, ranging from the UN to NGOs to the private sector, have given me an understanding of the social and economic challenges facing many countries in Africa.
However, it was during a social audit mission in 2011 with cotton farmers in Mali that my commitment to supporting farmers was truly triggered. This experience fueled my desire to support coffee producers, particularly those in my home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Driven by my certainty, I decided to create my own coffee company in Europe to promote the quality of African coffee while favoring ethical and ecological practices.
Thus, in January 2023, I had the great honor of being chosen as the representative of the Economic Interest Group of the network of coffee and cocoa producers' cooperatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has 93,000 members.
This appointment is therefore a testimony to the trust they have placed in me.
For me, coffee is not just a drink, it is an essential part of my life that brings me back to moments and memories of my childhood in the Kivu region. It is a daily ritual that I cherish and reminds me to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, especially in these uncertain times.
I fell into coffee a bit like Obelix. As a child, I used to sneak coffee because I was told it was only for adults. These moments hold a special place in my heart and symbolize my carefree childhood spent playing and laughing with my family. To this day, every cup of coffee I drink takes me back to those moments and reminds me of the joy of those days of talking with my loved ones.
Having grown up in Virunga National Park, I also feel the connection between coffee and wildlife. My father worked there for four decades; in the tents by the river, watching the sun go down, we could drink coffee and hear the roar of the lions. The smell of coffee also takes me back to the slopes of Sabinyo, where early in the morning we would brew coffee on the kitchen floor while watching baby gorillas play in the distance.
Coffee is more than a drink; it evokes a unique story in each person who tastes it. In my case, it reminds me of the simple pleasures of life, the importance of spending quality time with my loved ones, memories of my childhood and my attachment to nature.
In fact, I didn't go into the coffee world, the coffee world came to me ☺
NRWC: What's your favourite coffee origin?
Isabelle: As you may have already guessed, Congolese coffee.
My passion for African coffee goes far beyond the drink itself. While the quality of the coffee remains a priority for me, the richness of the stories and endearing testimonials that accompany each cup is also what matters to me.
Having experienced first-hand the painful events in eastern Congo, I deeply admire the incredible resilience and determination of the coffee producers there. It takes immense strength and courage to produce such a quality product in such difficult conditions.
The Raek cooperative in Katana is an outstanding example. I am proud to talk to Anicet and Désiré, the managers of the cooperative, and tell them how much their coffee is appreciated. I beamed with pride as I told the story of a coffee lover who could not believe that his coffee was Congolese because it tasted like Ethiopian coffee.
Growing up in Kivu, the taste of coffee was as rich and comforting as the warmth of the sun. Years later, even living in Brussels, that same flavour profile still appeals to me. So another of my favourite coffees is Idjwi Island, which tastes similar because it is grown on the shores of Lake Kivu. It instantly transports me and fills me with nostalgia.
The coffee is grown by the SCNCPK cooperative, run by my friend Gilbert. It is a natural coffee with notes of red fruits and nuts, a round mouthfeel and subtle acidity.
The president of the cooperative, Gilbert, is a rare soul who gives a lot of his time and energy to the coffee industry in Congo and who works for peace through his project, Coffee for Peace, which focuses on the socio-professional reintegration of ex-combatants.
NRWC: What inspires you to wake up every morning?
Isabelle: Beyond my love for the beverage itself, what really inspires me is the connections that this passion for coffee brings me. Through this simple pleasure, I have met some incredible people from all walks of life, each with their own unique perspectives, stories and experiences.
These encounters remind me that even the smallest things can bring us the greatest joy and motivation.
NRWC: What changes have you observed in your experience in coffee?
Isabelle: A societal shift is gradually contributing to the empowerment of women and the strengthening of their position in African society. The impact of the cooperative's women's support programmes has not going unnoticed in Africa, as more and more families begin to realise the benefits of women's empowerment. As a result, there is a slow but steady shift in attitudes towards gender equality.
The success of these cooperatives is not only measured by their coffee production, but also by their impact on women's empowerment and on improving the lives of their families. The change that is taking place in Rwandan society, for example, is a testament to the power of women's entrepreneurship and the positive effects that their support and empowerment can have.
Women's empowerment and the promotion of women's entrepreneurship is not a new concept in Africa, but in recent years its importance has been increasingly recognised.
“For generations, African women have played an important role in their communities, and coffee marketing is proving to be a powerful tool to improve their lives and strengthen their position in society. ”
Isabelle: As Kenyan women in the coffee industry how do you define and exercise your sovereignty as a coffee producer?
NRWC: Our understanding of sovereignty is that we are able to make decisions relating to coffee production, processing and marketing as women without unfair interference along the coffee value chain and that we are treated equally without any discrimination especially in distribution of resources including farm inputs , information dissemination and market access. However, we value constructive advice and support from stakeholders in the industry. This did not come easily as we had to establish ourselves by coming together as NORT women in coffee and we are now a well-known association of women focused on working together to produce great coffee and access the market as a group. Our coming together has attracted the attention of coffee buyers and a number are contacting us directly without having to go through middlemen.
Isabelle: What strategies have you employed to build resilience and maintain your independence and control over your production and economic situation?
NRWC: We believe we have earned our respect and independence through hard work . A number of us have gone through training on coffee agronomy, roasting, cupping and are now establishing coffee labs at the farms. We participate in trade shows as a team with each of our brand/farm names displayed and manned by either of us that is available at that particular time. • We occasionally have information dissemination workshops joining hands with other stakeholders to share what we know with the coffee farmers and encourage them especially the women to work together giving them our example. Two of our members were panelists at the recent 2023 African Fine Coffee Association conference in Kigali. We strive to use the latest methods of production and processing that are sustainable and make us standout as trailblazers in the sector at our region, intercropping coffee with macadamia and avocado, Dairy farming, sheep rearing , beekeeping as alternative revenue sources. We are connected to the global network by virtue of being members of the International Women Coffee Alliance(AWCA) and volunteering our time towards the activities that enhance the vision of the organization. We listen to the stories of each other and other women in coffee and try to help where we can and speak up for the women when need be. And most importantly is that we involve our men in every step to create mutual respect.
Isabelle: In your community, what is the role of women in the coffee industry, and what are the challenges faced by women coffee producers in your region? How do these challenges manifest in terms of economic empowerment, access to resources, training, and managing family obligations?
NRWC: The role of women in the coffee industry mainly is the labor task like management of the coffee trees from pruning to picking of the coffee thus playing a vital role in the production. The main challenges especially in our area as coffee may be notably termed as male dominated industry thus bring to the discussion of cultural beliefs, in that the male ownership of the land being the major issue. Women do not receive the deserved recognition they deserve. As much as the women would greatly contribute to the vital role within the value chain of the crop, no accountability in terms of finances as it is controlled by the male figure of the household. Thus, access to resources becomes difficult leading to limited opportunities for growth.
Isabelle: Are there any specific initiatives and programs in place to support women coffee producers, and how can gender equity in the coffee industry be further promoted and supported?
NRWC: Women empowerment of the years has greatly improved. International Women Coffee Alliance IWCA, SHE Trades that advocated for empowerment and equity for all women in coffee. Our organization as North of the Rift Women in Coffee NORTH greatly contributes to support of women as we encourage the women in our region to come together and form groups that empower them in that even access to resources such as inputs is easier. As the Swahili saying goes UMOJA NI NGUVU meaning UNITY IS STRENGTH. Gender equity can be promoted in ways like increasing more women representations in leadership and decision making along the coffee value chain, funding the women organizations thus empowering them to reach out to even the small holders in terms of training and finances.
Isabelle: When starting to work independently, did you encounter resistance from male producers or others in the coffee industry? How did you deal with this resistance?
NRWC: Because most of the farms are not owned by women thus making women producers have to seek consent from the spouse and through the authorization letter to the coffee directorate board to get licensed . This also applies in getting credits and loans thus becoming a major problem in economic development.
As for male dominated meetings we decided to create women groups whereby we make sure that in all the meetings we at least get a representative to articulate women in coffee issues.
Isabelle: Looking towards the future, what opportunities do you see for greater collaboration between men and women in the coffee sector?
NRWC: There's a need for the training of both men and women on the processes of coffee management so that there’s no specific jobs for men and women and this will reduce discrimination and in turn promote collaboration in the coffee sector. Equality is also key in promoting collaboration where both men and women are given equal opportunities in the decision making table on matters of coffee either in the Cooperatives , Government or even as low as families.
Isabelle: What policy changes could be implemented to support greater autonomy and independence for women producers in Kenya?
NRWC: There needs to have an enactment of the constitution of Kenya 2010 where women were granted land rights i.e. land inheritance. Women should be empowered financially through records such as coffee production turnovers in the place of recognised securities such as title deeds. Empowering women by the enforcement of the 2/3 gender rule where this will create an equal and better working environment for the women producers in the coffee sector.
Ellen & Sarah
Sarah: What is it like to work as a woman in the coffee business?
Ellen: I feel respected and valued working in the coffee business.
Sarah: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in coffee farming?
Ellen: As an advantage, I realise that currently the work of women in the field has been more valued.As a disadvantage, I feel the difficulty of reconciling time between maternity and work.
Sarah: How hard (physically) is the work on the plantation?
Ellen: In the past, work was heavier for everyone. Nowadays it is easier with new techniques.
Sarah: Is your job double in combination with family life?
Ellen: Yes, I divide my time between my family and our business. I have a 5 year old daughter, my husband and my 90 year old grandmother. We all live on the farm and my mother Marisa is also with us practically every day here!
Sarah: What is your motivation for doing what you do?
Ellen: I am part of the fifth generation of coffee growers in the family. I learned from my grandfather to care for and love the cafes and the place where we live. I intend to continue producing healthy food and protecting the environment at the same time. So Live in peace with family and people we love.
Sarah: How do you look at the coffee sector from your perspective?
Ellen: I think that for products with quality and produced in a sustainable way there will always be room. However, our challenge here is the high production costs as our mountainous region requires more manual work. This increases our cost and decreases our competitiveness. That's why it's very important to have business partners who value all our efforts.
Sarah: What are the main challenges in the near and distant future?
Ellen: An important challenge is to continue maintaining business relationships that distribute income fairly with all participants in the chain. Climatic adversities are also a great challenge to be faced by us producers. Here on the farm, I need to streamline my harvest and install a coffee mill to get our coffee to the warehouse more quickly, leaving here before the start of the rainy season.
Sarah: When and how did you decide to become a coffee producer?
Ellen: I grew up on the farm together with the production of coffees. I've always enjoyed country life and I'm continuing my family's work. I am very grateful to be able to give the same opportunity to experience this story to my daughter Isabel. She and my niece Valentina are the sixth generation of our family.
Sarah: Are there many women involved in coffee production where you live?
Ellen: I notice that in my region there is a greater interest of women in the coffee business and also a greater appreciation and visibility of women in the field.
Sarah: Can you describe a typical day for you? What do you make out of concrete, exactly?
Ellen: I wake up early and prepare the food for the whole day for my family. I organise the house and go out with my daughter to follow the work and help in whatever way possible. I buy inputs, I sell, I control the finances and the crops. I take my daughter to school and then we go back to the farm. How did you enter the world of coffee?
Sarah: For 15 years I worked in social work but when my husband decided to launch the first solar roaster I decided to switch careers : ) so I did. I’ve been a roaster for 3 years.
Ellen: What difficulties did you face?
Sarah: I had to learn everything from scratch. So it was hard in the beginning. Roasting with a solar roaster is very different than roasting with other kinds of roasting machines. Nobody could really help us. So it took a lot of blood and tears to develop our recipes. Today we are proud and happy to have the first solar roasted coffee.
Ellen: Are there many women working in the Roasting sector?
Sarah: No, most roasters are man, but it is changing slowly. Specially in Scandinavian countries but I mainly know a lot of man. But in our team at Ray and Jules, we are mainly women :). My sister and I do the roasting and we have three women doing packaging and then women administration. Only in our marketing team there are man :)
Komal & Charlotte
Charlotte: That’s funny that of all the women working with This Side Up, this is you, Komal, that is asking me questions.
Indeed, India is my “heart” country, a place where I feel at home, in the right place : I do have a special feeling for your country and its people, I do have a history with “you” !! I worked there a few years ago (before my coffee journey) and met wonderful people, culture, mindset, and history.
Let’s take this coincidence as a sign !!
Komal: Would you be open to roasting different coffee species?
Charlotte: Yes
However, I am a very small business, I generally buy 2-3 bags per origin in order to get and offer the freshest coffee possible and I try to keep the same producer each year/crop.
Being small (and beautiful 😊), I don’t have too much room for totally new experiences : being open to roasting different species would mean buying maybe a too big quantity of coffee without not being sure I’d like it and above not being sure my customers ‘d like it as well. I try to propose new “things” to my customers with “new” origins or let’s say origins that they wouldn’t have thought about – coffee wise. So before roasting different coffee species, I’d like to roast a very good Indian arabica coffee !!!!!
Komal: Have you already tried different species (other than Arabica and Robusta)
Charlotte: No. I tried once a robusta, and to be honest, it is too bitter for me. Cafeine is too high, therefore the natural bitterness of that coffee didn’t suit me. It should be noted that I have not drunk coffee for over 25 years. I always found it very bitter. So I decided to drink tea instead. I discovered 6 years ago the specialty coffee (mainly excellent arabicas) and the light roasts; I loved the softness and the sweetness of these coffees less caffeinated and especially less roasted.
So I entered the world of coffee and I made it my job, I became craftsman and coffee roaster, telling myself that I had to explain to the world (at least to France, or at best to the people in my neighbourhood!!!) that coffee could be aromatic, sweet and not necessarily make your stomach hurt!
For the moment, I am not yet ready to drink (and therefore to roast) robusta, which for me is still a bit too "robust".
Komal: When introducing a new origin how much contributes to storytelling vs the coffee quality itself?
Charlotte: The quality of the coffee is as important to me as the fact that it is grown by a woman producer/farmer. Storytelling itself comes “after” but is very important for me. I want to make sure that the coffee I buy really contributes to the empowerment of the women, the whole community, the children in the community or the household. How did you start producing coffee?
Komal: We are the 5th generation coffee growers. My relationship with coffee began when I went to the UK for higher studies where I met Akshay, my husband . Me & my husband came back from the UK to take care of the coffee farm four years ago. So technically coffee has been in the family for more than a few 100 years.
Charlotte: How do you control the quality of your coffee?
Komal: Quality of coffee starts from the soil health of the farm, moves to harvesting, wet processing, dry processing, and storage.
Soil Health and Coffee Quality
There is a correlation between soil health, plant health and coffee quality. We at South India Coffee Co, attribute healthy soil, nutrition management, and native tree canopy to the quality of coffee. It’s all interconnected, Right from plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms all play a vital role in quality coffee production for us.
“When you have a healthy crop, the next important step is harvesting and post harvesting processing.”
Harvesting, Post Harvesting Processing & Coffee Quality
Let’s talk about quality control during harvesting – it is important to pick ripe and separate the greens at the field itself. We do another round of removing defects when the coffee reaches the wet mill, coffees are then floated to remove further defects. We then move the coffees to the drying yard, post pulping or as cherry (when processing naturals) , to raised beds, The coffee is covered in the evenings to prevent it from any condensation. Raking coffees regularly means even drying which attributes to the final quality.
Storage & Coffee Quality
Post drying the coffee is put in clean jute bags and stored in a warehouse for 4 – 6 weeks , above the ground on wooden panels away from the walls in order to prevent it from absorbing moisture from the ground or walls. The warehouse is well ventilated, free from smells.
Dry Milling & Coffee Quality
Each lot is dry milled separately. The coffee is peeled, polished, graded via density, gravity and colour, ensuring maximum amount of defects are removed. If the coffee doesn’t pass our quality check in the first round, we send it through the colour sorter again to remove further defects.
Storage Post Dry Milling & Coffee Quality
Dry milled coffee is ready to be shipped out. We use hermetic bags inside burlap bags which have high oxygen and moisture barrier properties to seal the freshness of green coffee throughout the supply chain and storage.
We control the coffee quality through these measures.
Charlotte: How do you decide who to sell your coffee to?
Komal: We like to work with people who believe in the vision of long-term sustainable coffee growing. Transparency is key with the partner we decide to work with. It doesn’t matter if we are selling 1 bag or 100 bags, we want to create collaborative partnerships.
Charlotte: How does climate change affect your coffee production?
Komal: In these last 4 years we have seen change in weather patterns which has made us change our nutrition management and shade management systems. Increasing the shade canopy has its pros and cons.
Pro – The median temperature in the coffee farms in lower, which ensures healthy Arabica production
Con – Increased shade for Robusta reduces the yield, making it financially unsustainable for the grower.
As producers we rely on a dry harvest season – something that most countries could take for granted, but this doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. The last few years sudden heavy rains during harvest season seems to be a common occurrence in India. Our region in Coorg, Karnataka which usually gets about 55 to 65 inches of rain, this year we recorded 100 inches of rain.
So during the harvest season we have to pick coffee quicker, as there is fear of coffee splitting on the plant or even worse it falls of the plant. With these challenging weather conditions, we have had to think of innovative solutions to process and dry our coffees and work on our shade management system
Charlotte: How do you see the future of the coffee industry?
Komal: We must think of innovative solutions at the farm level. Be it drying, post-harvest processing or agricultural practices.
Mindful consumption of coffee, knowing where your coffee comes from, know your coffee producer, and traceable aspects of the coffee is the future.
Reducing the use of harsh chemicals, or finding more sustainable, organic sprays, making your own compost is the future for the coffee industry but it all comes at a cost.
Propagation of climate reliant coffee species in the future for the coffee industry, for example – Excelsa, Liberica. We are currently studying these species for future propagation.
Focus on agroforestry method of cultivation is a sustainable way of farming which is a common form of coffee cultivation in India.
Charlotte: Can you talk about the importance of women's role in coffee production?
Komal: Women on the coffee farms have been an integral part of the workforce in coffee producing countries. In Coorg and Chickmanglur most of the workforce comprises women, making them the primary breadwinners for the family. Important to note that many young women are also becoming managers and we help upskill women who want to work as managers. We also noticed the women are way faster at pruning techniques, harvesting coffee and tend to plants way better than men.
Charlotte: How are women involved in different stages of coffee production, from planting to marketing?
Komal: As I mentioned earlier the women make up almost 70 – 80% of the workforce of most coffee farms in India. Many women also run the coffee farm, for example our family farm is owned by my mother the law (coffee producer) , managed by me and my husband ( growers) , workforce (80% women) , marketing by me , dry milling is done by a mill which has mostly women workforce, and exported by me again. We are slowly seeing a number of women in leadership roles, opening bean to cup cafes, roasting units and creating brands, agronomists, cuppers and coffee consultants all over India.
Charlotte: What are the specific challenges that women face in the coffee sector?
Komal: As most coffee farms are in rural areas, India still has a patriarchal society, it is difficult to manage farms if a male staff is not present. For example we are running a community based project in the Pushpagiri mountains, where the farmer finds it difficult to follow my lead, whereas it would be much easier if it was a man taking the lead (in this case my husband). It is frustrating to deal with these situations, however things are changing in the city. We are seeing several coffee professionals in the other verticals of the coffee industry, be it marketing, roasting, barista skills, café owners, the number of women in the field is increasing every day.
Charlotte: How do coffee producer organizations support women in the coffee sector?
Komal: In India we have the Women’s Coffee Alliance (India) Chapter. The organisation supports on-going projects in women and child healthcare as well as girl child education in traditional and non-traditional coffee growing regions. However, I am not aware of any other organizations supporting women in the coffee sector.
Charlotte: What initiatives exist to encourage women's participation in the coffee sector?
Komal: Currently in India we have the WCAI which promotes women in coffee. However, I think there is much work to be done.
Charlotte: How can consumers support women in the coffee sector?
Komal: Know your coffee producer, as a roaster if you tell our stories to the consumer, they will connect with us (producers). Making meaningful connections, not just how the coffee is grown , but more about the person making a real connection will make the consumer buy the same coffee year on year. They consumers should feel connected to the person behind the coffee.
Charlotte: What changes can be made to improve the representation and participation of women in the coffee sector?
Komal: Creating platforms, Spaces, podcasts, meetup groups , social media awareness, where women can get together, learn, exchange ideas, upskill , knowledgeshare, and most importantly get funding for development of ideas.