Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala -FECCEG- is a second-level organization that brings together 12 base organizations. FECCEG provides production and marketing services for specialty coffees (main product), honey, panela, and cocoa beans to independent producers associated with the organization. Production services include training, technical assistance, dry processing, and packaging; Marketing services include the acquisition of organic trade certifications and searching for higher value markets; and finally, exporting to the international market through its export unit (Exportadora de Café Especial de Guatemala).
The organizations affiliated with the FECCEG group are 1750 men and 454 women from the departments of Chimaltenango, Huehuetenango, Quiché, Sololá, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Alta Verapaz, and Suchitepéquez, all are small-scale farmers, dedicated to the organic production of coffee, honey, panela, and cocoa. Associates and their families are around 9,800 people distributed in 102 rural communities in 36 municipalities in 8 departments in western Guatemala. This group of people are owners of small parcels, and together, they have about 950 Ha.
Women represent 31.5% of associates and own about 190.5 Ha (20.5%) in which they grow coffee and have apiaries to produce honey from native bees. Some of them are also involved in producing coffee seedlings in nurseries or managing bio factories in their communities. Others have different ventures that FECCEG promotes, such as pastries, bakeries, candle making, small stores, tortilla shops, and fast food. Download San Marcos Fairtrade Organic Info Sheet
