Kim Ossenblok is one of the most recognized baristas worldwide, but beyond his accredited professional skills, he is also known for his extraordinary social sensitivity. These two characteristics have led to the birth of a global movement called "Sensitive Coffee", Café Sensible in Spanish.
The aspiration of all the members of this original initiative, which is gradually gaining followers among the most representative actors in the industry, is to change the current practices in the coffee industry and naturally impose new habits, from production to commercialization. Ossenblok, a cryptocurrency user and knowledgeable about the possibilities of blockchain technology, is betting on these new disruptive tools to achieve his goals.
One of the most evident values is to recognize the work done by small-scale coffee producers who suffer the terrible effects of being excluded from the traditional financial system. More than 90% of coffee producers are located in developing countries, and these people, despite being hardworking and having a profitable activity, barely manage to save more than enough to survive from year to year until the next harvest.
The "Sensitive Coffee" initiative promotes the possibility of financing these small communities with much cheaper and more accessible rates. But not only that, it also favors the opening of international markets and allows the excellence of their product to be enjoyed beyond those local areas, achieving much fairer prices. Respect for the environment and the protection of biodiversity is another important point of the initiative. Many of these small communities have their coffee plantations integrated in harmony with nature, under the shade of trees and coexisting with native fauna. The protection of this way of life and this artisanal way of processing coffee - as opposed to large monoculture plantations - benefits everyone, regardless of whether or not they are coffee consumers.
The use of Blockchain technology, beyond using cryptocurrencies as a means of transmitting value and financing quickly and practically free of charge, also inherently has the concept of transparency and traceability. Two characteristics that fit very well with the "Sensitive Coffee" initiative and give users the real possibility of consuming coffee directly from the producers they have financed through cryptocurrencies.
The upcoming 1st Online Sensitive Coffee Congress, scheduled for January 29th, 30th, and 31st, is expected to draw a large crowd of industry players committed to the movement's success.
This event offers an exceptional opportunity to meet producers, roasters, distributors, or even small retail shops. Any industry player who feels aligned with this new way of doing things is warmly welcomed. The virtual space created for the event will enable attendees to connect with other professionals, showcase their initiatives and concerns, find synergies, seek alliances, and learn directly from the best Sensitive Coffee projects and businesses.
Among the attendees will be EthicHub, the award-winning Spanish startup that, over the past few years, has successfully financed small-scale coffee producers in Mexico and exported their excellent product to Spain, China, and Canada.
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9<div class="tg-wrap"><table class="tg"><thead>
10 <tr>
11 <th class="tg-0lax">Date</th>
12 <th class="tg-0lax">Speaker</th>
13 <th class="tg-0lax">Topic</th>
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15<tbody>
16 <tr>
17 <td class="tg-0lax">Jan. 29 - 18:00</td>
18 <td class="tg-0lax">Gabriela Chang</td>
19 <td class="tg-0lax">EthicHub: Repurposing the coffee supply chain</td>
20 </tr>
21 <tr>
22 <td class="tg-0lax">Jan. 29 - 20:00</td>
23 <td class="tg-0lax">Jordi Riulas</td>
24 <td class="tg-0lax">Blockchain Workshop: Create your wallet with Ethix token</td>
25 </tr>
26 <tr>
27 <td class="tg-0lax">Jan. 30 - 20:00</td>
28 <td class="tg-0lax">Íñigo Molero</td>
29 <td class="tg-0lax">Blockchain: The collaborative economy through decentralization</td>
30 </tr>
31</tbody>
32</table></div>EthicHub is a Blockchain-native company with a high-impact P2P marketplace that connects smallholder farmers in emerging economies with investors and direct buyers worldwide. This ecosystem creates a win-win situation for all participants, fostering mutual collaboration and benefits. Smallholder farmers gain access to sufficient and affordable financing, allowing them to sell their crops at fair prices in international markets while building a credit history. Investors, on the other hand, provide working capital to farmers, earning attractive returns and the added satisfaction of creating a proven social impact. Finally, buyers benefit from a reliable source of high-quality products with full traceability. This integrated solution has proven to be robust and resilient, with a spotless 0% default rate on over 150 projects financed in just two years. Therefore, the concept of "Sensitive Coffee" and the movement's purpose, led by Kim Ossenblok, aligns exceptionally well with EthicHub's mission. It is no surprise, then, that EthicHub was one of the first significant supporters of this global movement.
Most of the coffee we consume has been produced, traded, and roasted to maximize yield, without considering sustainability or flavor quality. Specialty coffee, on the other hand, focuses on the flavor of the coffee, eliminating defective green coffee beans and producing a coffee with excellent taste.
Sensitive coffee is defined as specialty coffee that is accessible to all consumers who are sensitive to how the coffee they drink has been financed, produced, traded, transported, packaged, roasted, and prepared. Based on regenerative economics and regenerative agriculture, it significantly raises social standards throughout the value chain.
There are several coffee projects and companies that consider total quality, and sensitive coffee is a new term aimed at making these projects known to the general public. It is the next step in the evolution of the coffee industry and is inclusive of all coffee producers, roasters, and consumers.
I have set myself a significant challenge: by 2024, 1 million bags of coffee per year will transition from Conventional Markets to the rapidly growing "Sensitive Coffee" Sector.
To achieve such an ambitious goal, the support of the entire sector is needed, from the executive team of a multinational coffee company to an entrepreneur with their local roasting company. To create these new structures in the sensitive coffee market, we need sensitive entrepreneurs with sustainable businesses. One of the first steps to achieve this is the business acceleration program: Sensitive Circle, a program where professionals reach the maximum potential of their business and together raise the ceiling of the sensitive coffee sector.
You don't need to pay more to make a difference with sensitive coffee. This is one of the things technology helps us build. In today's coffee business, there are several intermediaries who do not add real value to the coffee. In a world of more direct relationships and with the help of new technologies, the value generated from the producer to the consumer is better distributed.
If we manage to act not only for our own benefit but also for the collective benefit, we can increase the overall quality of coffee and be more sensitive to ourselves and our environment. Imagine being able to tip the producers of your coffee directly, through a mobile app and cryptocurrency. Those extra 10 cents per cup can double their coffee income, if it's not lost in intermediation.
Once the new structures are in place, the customer can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution, if they have access to the sensitive solution. Choosing what we consume (and how much) is one of the most effective ways to generate a change in our own health and the well-being of everyone who shares this planet! From consuming coffee as a drug to starting to appreciate the organoleptic characteristics of this divine beverage, it will regenerate the economic, ecological, and social system.
Certifications have played a significant role in the sustainability of the industry, where coffee is treated as a commodity without considering quality, production conditions, and environmental impact during processing. In a world where roasters need to seek differentiation to sell, certifications have helped and, in many cases, had a positive impact on the value chain. Additionally, they have helped producers implement a control system in farm processes.
The lack of economic resources and social difficulties mean that many of them are unable to finance the cost of current certifications, making them exclusive to a large portion of producers. Furthermore, certifications do not always take into account the social difficulties and real costs of each producer, making it unprofitable for them to become certified. When it reaches the roaster, it is often treated in the same way as conventional coffee, so the consumer does not perceive an improvement in quality for which to pay more. It becomes a system of charity.
From a #sensitivecoffee perspective, we believe that in a world where producers and consumers are increasingly connected, certifications are becoming obsolete. Sensitive coffee values the happiness of every person who works in the sector, making it possible for you to enjoy your cup of coffee in the morning. Technologies such as blockchain and decentralized finance, for example, will make this value transmission more transparent, without the need for an "independent" entity to certify it. The consumer will recognize and support the producer and their family personally.
The 1st Online Sensitive Coffee Congress will take place over three days (January 29th, 30th, and 31st), and will be streamed 100% online and live. The congress aims to create connections between some of the most important actors in the sector (the speakers) and their sensitive coffee businesses, as well as other entrepreneurs in the sector who wish to learn more about this concept and how to integrate it into their projects and businesses.
Thanks to the collaboration of Ethichub, the congress will be free to the public, so that all parts of the production chain, from the coffee grower to the consumer, can be part of the audience and stay up-to-date on advances in the sector.
EthicHub is a ReFi (Regenerative Finance) protocol that helps unbanked farmers access capital at low interest rates in a win/win model where all stakeholders benefit from the interaction. Its crowdlending platform was launched in June 2018, and to date it has brokered more than $4M in microcredits to more than 600 families in 6 countries.
