By improving the entire process, the cooperative was better able to produce high-quality arabica coffee. Varieties of arabica, a pricier bean than commercial robusta, can be sold as specialty coffee. Working with the Rainforest Alliance, USAID helped show farmers how to treat wash water to protect the environment. This has allowed the Las Lajas cooperative to certify its coffee as environmentally-friendly, boosting the market value of its products and attracting more buyers.

The Las Lajas cooperative’s 230 farmers rebounded and sold five containers of specialty coffee from the 2003 harvest at an average of 26% more per pound than the global market price. The cooperative used the additional revenue - more than $50,000 - to pay off debt incurred at the beginning of the decade while struggling to cover the cost of production. Local exporter Exportadora El Volcan helped connect Las Lajas with Gala, a coffee buyer from the U.K. Not only have these buyers helped Las Lajas increase sales, some have begun to invest in the community to support production. Gala donated $20,000 to the co-op to help Coatepeque, the community that Las Lajas calls home, purchase a water-collection tank so community members have fresh water during the dry season.