What is the story: Chica Bean – a small business owned by women in Guatemala – needed help delivering their premium coffee to the world. Originally, they relied on middlemen to take their locally roasted coffee to the streets or other buyers. But that was really expensive — taking a huge chunk of Chica Bean’s profit.
To the rescue: UPS now handles all the logistics, offering both cargo and small package services, saving them money.
From tall to venti: With access to new markets, Chica Bean’s popularity grew … first in the U.S. and now in Asia and Europe. They exported 36 times more coffee the first year working with UPS.
Why it matters: The growth and cost savings Chica Bean has seen from UPS have helped the company keep the roasting process in Guatemala. That means profits directly benefit the local community, building up the women they employ.
What they are saying: "At Chica Bean, we want to boost the leadership potential of women coffee growers by recognising the real value of their work,” said founder and co-owner Alene Seiler-Martinez. This not only helps their economic empowerment, but also boosts their self-confidence to develop new ventures.”
Solutions that matter: Small businesses, like Chica Bean, are vital to their local communities and UPS offers unique solutions to help them grow.