Elan Organic Coffee

Our Mission

HISTORY

Elan Organic Coffees is a San Diego based coffee developer and importer who offers a line of certified organically shade grown coffees which it has developed through partnerships with village co-ops in coffee production countries in Central America, South America, Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea. Elan has pioneered the supply of the world’s finest certified organic coffees, while supporting farmers and protecting the environment.
Its founder and President, Karen Cebreros, became familiar with the problems being experienced by coffee farmers due to the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides in coffee production. After a trip to Peru in 1989, Karen decided to help farmers save their land and the health of their families by teaching them how to implement healthy organic agricultural techniques. All of this has helped to produce a better tasting coffee that's better for the consumer and better for our environment.

Karen set up agreements with the farmers, oversaw their training in the organic methods, arranged for certification programs and set up the infrastructure to bring the product to market.
After Peru, Karen set out to implement organic agricultural techniques in countries all over the world. She was assisted by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), agronomists, inspectors, university interns, agents and a dedicated staff who believe they can make a difference and make a living through the coffee industry. First came a project in Guatemala in 1990, then Colombia in 1991, El Salvador in 1992 and finally Mexico, Indonesia and Africa (See Publications: Projects for more information).

In 1989 only two roasters were certified to roast according to organic standards. Today, over 400 roasters are choosing to offer one or more organically grown certified coffee
Elan did the development. Elan did the marketing. It was necessary to make the business go and grow. We filled out the paperwork and sometimes waited over a year for certifications to be granted. Elan introduced certified organic coffee to US roasters and brokers, only to spend the first five years answering the question, “What is organic coffee?”
Elan is the leading developer of certified organic and socially responsible coffees, connecting farmers and consumers from tree to cup. We introduced the first certified organic Peruvian coffee into the United States. We pioneered Bird-Friendly certified coffees (SMBC) and we were the first importer licensed with TransFair USA. In a world where coffee is the second largest commodity, after oil, and the second most consumed beverage, after water, we must confront the environmental issues we will face if we do not go organic.