BUSTAMANTE, Costa Rica – For Kattya Hidalgo, the chickens came first. Then the eggs. It’s not clear which bring her more joy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Hidalgo, 46, is part of a cohort of women farmers who work with <a href="https://www.beanvoyage.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bean Voyage</a>, a Costa Rican nonprofit supported in part by The Starbucks Foundation, that empowers smallholder women coffee farmers with training in farming techniques, climate change, business fundamentals, financial literacy and project management.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After they finish a year-long curriculum, they can apply for seed money to start income-diversification projects.&nbsp;

With $300 last year, Hidalgo bought eight chickens and built a coop.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“Hens caught my attention the most because here at home, we rarely eat meat. We prefer to eat eggs,” Hidalgo says. “But eggs are very expensive. We would limit ourselves to one egg a day. If you had eggs for lunch, you had no right to eat eggs at night.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I can’t explain to you the joy of seeing the first eggs, seeing my children – ‘Mommy, eggs!’ – eating eggs produced by me.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since March 2022, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/the-starbucks-foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Starbucks Foundation</a> has awarded 10 grants totaling nearly $3 million to nonprofits working with women in coffee and tea-growing communities across seven countries, including Bean Voyage. This announcement, on International Women’s Day, is part of the Foundation’s continuing <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-commits-to-uplift-one-million-women-and-girls-in-origin-communities-by-2030/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">goal to positively impact 1 million women and girls in “origin communities” by 2030</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“We’re proud to work with nonprofits to reach women in coffee and tea-growing communities like Kattya,” says Alicia Vermaele, executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “Through our Origin Grants, we’re helping to create opportunities and promote more equitable access to resources that enable women to improve their lives and livelihoods. We know that when we invest in a woman, we uplift not only that woman, but also her family and her community – leading to a brighter future for all.” 

With these grants, The Starbucks Foundation expects to reach an additional 60,000 women and girls over the next three years.&nbsp;

In January, Sunghee Tark, co-founder and CEO of Bean Voyage, visited Hidalgo’s farm to check in on her and her hen project. Tark started the nonprofit in 2016 with her friend, Abhinav Khanal, after they graduated from college, in response to the millions of “invisible” women who work on coffee farms around the world. They chose the name Bean Voyage to help women coffee producers “feel like they’re traveling the world through their coffee,” Tark says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Because of how the coffee industry has been structured, and then the cultural elements in many parts of the world, including Latin America, a lot of times, the work that women do isn’t necessarily valued the same way as the work that men do,” Tark says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“As an organization, we believe that if women are provided with the resources and then the right conditions, they will know what to do moving forward. What we do is make those resources available so they can actually go out and build their own future for themselves.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

For 22 years, Hidalgo worked as a legal assistant in San José, the bustling capital of Costa Rica. But then her boss, a lawyer, died. She and her family moved back to the countryside, where she’d grown up, and took over a coffee, fruit and vegetable farm. Though she was enthusiastic, there was a lot to learn. That’s when she heard about Bean Voyage and became intrigued by its mission.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We live not only in a country, but in a world of aggression, where women have always been given very little space,” Hidalgo says. “Here and everywhere, people have always believed that men are the ones in charge, the ones who have to bring food to the table, and that women are only meant to raise children, and it's not like that. We live in times of equality when both you and I can work, and we both can contribute.”&nbsp;

Hidalgo says she’s learned so much from Bean Voyage – not only about better farming techniques but also about being a leader in her community, climate change adaptation and business and entrepreneurship. She sometimes sells her extra eggs to neighbors, which provides additional income. And she hopes to export her coffee one day.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I want to keep learning. I no longer see myself as someone who struggles to learn,” she says. “On the contrary, I want to learn more every day and become even better than what I am.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I love them. You have no idea,” she says, laughing. “My hens will die of old age, but I won’t eat them.”&nbsp;

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The Starbucks Foundation Origin Grant recipients

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Three women smiling outside on a farm, holding a plastic tub of eggs

Here’s what impact looks like. Meet Kattya, a smallholder coffee farmer in Costa Rica, who’s building a better life for her family, one egg at a time.

New round of grants from The Starbucks Foundation will help uplift women and girls in coffee-growing communities

Historias-en

https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2023/the-starbucks-foundation-announces-grants-to-uplift-1-million-women-and-girls-in-coffee-growing-communities-2/

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Antigua, Guatemala – Starbucks today announced it is celebrating a milestone in its commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): opening its 1,500th store in the region and its first café in the iconic city of Antigua, Guatemala, to be operated by its business partner Premium Restaurants of America (PRA). Coinciding with Starbucks 20th anniversary of retail presence in the region, the store is designed to honor Antigua’s rich coffee heritage.

“We are pleased to open our 1,500th store in Latin America &amp; the Caribbean,” said Michael Conway, group president, International and Channel Development for Starbucks. “Antigua has long been a pillar of Starbucks coffee community, and this latest store opening represents our continued investment in the region in partnership with our ten trusted licensed operators, through store expansion and by innovating and elevating the coffee experience for the thousands of customers we serve daily.”

Having shared the finest Guatemalan arabica coffee with millions of customers around the world since the company’s founding in 1971, Starbucks has worked for decades with the coffee-growing communities of Guatemala. The opening of the first Starbucks store in Antigua reflects the company’s deep respect and admiration for Guatemala’s coffee, its farmers, and its communities. Building on the company's 50-year history with the city, Antigua became a natural destination for Starbucks to celebrate its 1,500th store.

Starbucks retail operations started in Guatemala in 2011 in partnership with PRA, which currently operates Starbucks stores in Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador. Since then, it has grown to 12 stores in the market, employing more than 200 partners (employees) in Guatemala – including the 25 newest partners located in the city of Antigua.

“We are honored to introduce the Starbucks Experience to the historic and vibrant city of Antigua,” shared Francisco Rovira, President of Premium Restaurant of America. “We look forward to continuing to drive meaningful growth in the market as we aim to deliver the Starbucks Experience to Antigua’s people, while honoring the country’s distinct coffee culture and traditions.”

Creating a unique Starbucks Experience

As Starbucks opens its first store in the iconic city of Antigua, the company is committed to bringing the Starbucks Experience to more customers in locally relevant ways by celebrating local coffee culture and traditions.

This new store will provide customers with high-quality arabica coffee from Guatemala, featuring Guatemala Antigua year-round, as well as a selection of coffees from around the world through Starbucks handcrafted beverages prepared by passionate Starbucks barista partners, using different brewing methods like Pour Over and Chemex, as well as the traditional French Press, among others.

Antigua, a store with an iconic design

Located at the heart of the city and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the new store was developed as a one-of-a-kind adaptive reuse project. The LAC Starbucks design team, in partnership with PRA, was committed to protecting and preserving the original beauty and history of the building – a private residence dating back to the 1930s – by restoring its architectural features as well as honoring Guatemala’s coffee culture through the unique design of the store and elevated coffee experience for its customers.&nbsp;

Starbucks<a href="https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/stories/2022/top-5-things-to-see-at-starbucks-new-store-in-antigua-guatemala/"> worked with a range of local artists and designers </a>to capture the artistic, warm and colorful spirit of Antigua. The store also features two murals created by Alvaro Tzaj Yotz, a local painter and muralist from San Juan La Laguna, Sololá. The feature mural displayed next to the bar depicts three women, portrayed as hummingbirds, nurturing a coffee tree and sharing its cherries, representing the natural beauty and past generations of Guatemalan women in the coffee industry. The second mural located in the courtyard showcases a woman in a hand-carved canoe floating in coffee botanicals and local flora. She holds a ceramic pot out of which local birds fly around the courtyard walls, including a Quetzal – the national bird of Guatemala.&nbsp;

Customers can also find the work of Daniela Rivas – an artist who creates distinctive pieces using natural and local materials such as cotton, clay and wood.&nbsp; One of Rivas’ pieces at the store’s main lobby highlights the Volcano Agua – a 3,500m stratovolcano that towers over the city of Antigua.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her second piece hangs in the Lounge Room and features coffee growing at elevation, with the colors representing the coffee plant, blossoms and cherries.&nbsp;

Over 170 customers can enjoy handcrafted Starbucks beverages at the new Antigua café, which boasts three conference rooms and a beautiful inner courtyard with a large green wall, an abundance of local plants, and thoughtful lighting.

Starbucks Commitment to Local Coffee Farmers

Guatemala has always been a special coffee region for Starbucks and the company has long-standing relationships with coffee growers across the country. Coffee from Guatemala and the Antigua region have been a part of the Starbucks portfolio from the company’s beginning, with many customers able to experience these coffees around the world. &nbsp;

Starbucks farmer support in this region, as it is globally, is comprehensive and holistic. In addition to paying premiums for coffee for high-quality standards and participation in its ethical and sustainable sourcing program named <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/">Coffee Farmer and Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices</a>, Starbucks also provides coffee farmers with a range of resources. In 2006, the company opened its satellite Farmer Support Center in Guatemala, allowing agronomists and quality experts to work alongside farmers, sharing tools and information to help them increase the productivity and quality of coffee on their farms.

Positive impact in Guatemalan communities

Building on Starbucks commitment to the betterment of all who interact with the brand, the company remains focused on creating a positive impact in Guatemalan communities. Over the past two decades, The Starbucks Foundation has awarded grants to nonprofit organizations to support thriving coffee communities and disaster response initiatives, including the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-supports-guatemala-volcano-relief-efforts/">2018 Fuego Volcano eruption</a>.

As part of Starbucks goal to positively <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-commits-to-uplift-one-million-women-and-girls-in-origin-communities-by-2030/">impact one million women and girls in coffee-, tea-, and cocoa-growing communities by 2030</a>, The Starbucks Foundation is currently supporting grants to&nbsp; Mercy Corps, Wakami Foundation, and World Central Kitchen. These grants are promoting sustainable income generation, gender equity and empowerment, improved health and well-being and safe spaces for personal growth. In addition, the Foundation recently collaborated with PRA to invest in <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/global-community-impact-grants/">Global Community Impact Grants</a> for local non-profit organization Educo Guatemala, which will empower youth and strengthen food security and nutrition&nbsp;in Guatemala’s indigenous communities.

The Starbucks Foundation’s Origin Grants portfolio complements additional programs and initiatives to support the farming community. Starbucks is currently piloting several programs focused on creating income diversification and building childcare centers to support coffee families during harvest.

Regional and local growth

Since opening its first stores in the region in Puerto Rico and Mexico in 2002, Starbucks has seen remarkable growth across LAC and created employment opportunities for over 18,000 partners regionally. For 20 years, the company has worked to innovate, expand and elevate the coffee industry in the region. Starbucks is committed to continuing to make a positive impact in the communities it serves and, together with PRA, plans to open four additional stores in Guatemala by the end of 2022.

Starbucks Antigua store is located at 5ta Avenida, Casa #15, Antigua and opens from Sunday to Thursday from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm; Friday and Saturday from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 34,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at historias.starbucks.com or <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.starbucks.com</a>.&nbsp;

About Premium Restaurants of America&nbsp;

With headquarters in El Salvador, Premium Restaurants of America (PRA) (previously Corporación de Franquicias Americanas - CFA) operates more than 200 restaurants in Central America, employing more than 8,000 people. International companies such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendy’s and China Wok have relied on PRA for the operation of their brands. With Starbucks, PRA operates 17 stores in El Salvador, 19 stores in Costa Rica and 12 stores in Guatemala, employing more than 700.&nbsp;

Courtyard shot of Starbucks Guatemala Antigua at dusk

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Starbucks celebrates its 1,500th store milestone in Latin America unveiling its first café in Antigua, Guatemala - Historias-en

Starbucks celebrates its 1,500th store milestone in Latin America unveiling its first café in Antigua, Guatemala

Store opening underscores Starbucks ongoing commitment to long-term growth in the region. Company’s first store in the iconic city of Antigua, builds on Starbucks 50-year history of honoring Guatemala’s rich coffee heritage and supporting local coffee farmers. Antigua, Guatemala – Starbucks today announced it is celebrating a milestone in its commitment to Latin America and […]

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Seattle, WA – The Starbucks Foundation today announced a $30 million investment by 2030 in a new Global Community Impact Grants portfolio designed to drive locally relevant impact in the communities where Starbucks operates around the world. To scale the initiative, The Starbucks Foundation is inviting partner companies (licensees) which operate the Starbucks brand across its three international regions – Asia Pacific; Europe, Middle East &amp; Africa; and Latin America &amp; the Caribbean – to nominate local nonprofit organizations for grants. These grants are intended to fund programs that create meaningful local or regional impact and expands on the company’s people positive ambition to enhance the well-being of all who connect with Starbucks.

For the inaugural round of grants, which will be awarded this April as part of Starbucks 12th annual Global Month of Good, the company’s international licensees nominated over&nbsp;80 local nonprofit organizations&nbsp;from more than&nbsp;40 markets. Grants will be awarded for causes aligned to The&nbsp;Starbucks Foundation’s community impact goals, including youth empowerment, inclusion &amp; diversity, social services, hunger relief,&nbsp;economic opportunity,&nbsp;and coffee-, tea- and cocoa-growing communities.&nbsp;

​As part of the initiative, licensees were&nbsp;encouraged to co-invest with The Starbucks Foundation and leverage other resources, including providing in-kind donations and encouraging Starbucks partners (employees) to volunteer, for&nbsp;greater impact:

“In every market we serve, Starbucks partners are making a positive impact in their local communities. We are excited to support them and the organizations they believe in to strengthen those communities, catalyze connections, and amplify the great work already being done,” said Michael Conway, group president, International and Channel Development&nbsp;at Starbucks and board member of The Starbucks Foundation. “We’re also proud to work with our licensed business partners through co-investment to deepen our impact with this truly global effort,” he added.

The Global Community Impact Grants program builds on other initiatives of The Starbucks Foundation including:

“Alsea Foundation is proud to join The Starbucks Foundation by listening, investing in our communities, and making a positive impact for people across the countries where Alsea operates Starbucks stores,” said Ivonne Madrid, director of Alsea Foundation. “Since 2014, we have impacted more than 15,000 lives and we look forward to expanding our partnership, together.”

About The Starbucks Foundation

The Starbucks Foundation strengthens humanity by transforming lives across the world, with a focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/starbucks-foundation">sbux.co/foundation</a>.

Five photos of Starbucks partners engaging in volunteer projects

The Starbucks Foundation Launches Global Community Impact Grants Initiative, Investing $30 Million by 2030 - Historias-en

The Starbucks Foundation Launches Global Community Impact Grants Initiative, Investing $30 Million by 2030

Seattle, WA – The Starbucks Foundation today announced a $30 million investment by 2030 in a new Global Community Impact Grants portfolio designed to drive locally relevant impact in the communities where Starbucks operates around the world. To scale the initiative, The Starbucks Foundation is inviting partner companies (licensees) which operate the Starbucks brand across […]

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https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2022/the-starbucks-foundation-launches-global-community-impact-grants-initiative-investing-30-million-by-2030/

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