Bugkalot Coffee Company ('BCC') exists to create a sustainable economy in the Bugkalot ancestral domain and nearby areas in the Philippines via production and distribution of coffee and other agricultural products. BCC has established and operates a coffee plantation in the Bugkalot ancestral domain with an integrated, end-to-end agricultural supply chain (including organic fertilizer production for the plantation, coffee nursery, plantation and processing center, as well as third party roasting). They are expanding their operations to include coffee trading and processing from nearby coffee growing communities, Adlai & other high-value crop production, and small-scale vegetable trading. These are a means to create an economy and job opportunities for the community.

Melanie, Anarose, and Jhoy are just a few of the individuals who have been impacted by the Bugkalot Coffee Company's (BCC) efforts in the Philippines. BCC has been working tirelessly to create a sustainable coffee industry in the region, from growing the coffee plants to roasting and distributing the final product.

One aspect of BCC's work that often goes overlooked is their dedication to job creation and skill-building. Melanie, for instance, worked at the cooperative for a year before they helped her find a job in the city of Manila. Now, she is gaining valuable experience in the food industry at a local restaurant/commissary. Her work is important as they are also working to develop alternate crops/products that will be grown & produced (or even processed) in the tribe and will then be commercialized. This will create parallel projects for the community, creating jobs outside of the coffee plantation, create opportunities for synergistic projects with the cooperative (and BCC), alternate revenue streams, and so on.

Similarly, Anarose and Jhoy are learning a wide range of skills at their café/restaurant, from front-of-house work to roasting coffee. These skills could be instrumental when BCC eventually opens their own café.

Of course, BCC isn't just focused on how these individuals can help them down the line. They are actively working to connect them with other job opportunities and provide livelihoods for people in the community. Melanie, Anarose, and Jhoy are all able to work and earn a salary, which they can then use to support their families.

It's this dual focus on building a sustainable coffee industry and supporting local communities that makes BCC's work so vital. The café may be a big step in their seed-to-cup model, but it's the people they work with and the impact they have on the community that truly make BCC's work stand out.

As for Melanie, Anarose, and Jhoy, they have the freedom to choose their own paths. If they want to stay in their current roles or move on to other opportunities, BCC supports them either way. But if they do choose to come back and work with BCC in the future, they will have gained valuable experience that can only benefit the project.

Overall, BCC's dedication to creating sustainable job opportunities and building up local communities is just as important as their work in the coffee industry itself. Melanie, Anarose, and Jhoy are just a few examples of the individuals who have been positively impacted by BCC's efforts, and there will undoubtedly be many more in the years to come.

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Learn more about Bugkalot Coffee Company and donate to their cause here.