22 October 2019

Nespresso Launches its First-ever Cafecito de Puerto Rico Coffee and Reaffirms its Commitment to Reviving the Island's Coffee Sector

Coffee has been a part of Puerto Rico’s rich culture and heritage for generations, but in 2017, hurricanes Maria and Irma destroyed more than 80 percent of the island’s coffee harvest and trees. Working alongside the Hispanic Federation, TechnoServe, and others, Nespresso is helping coffee farmers and communities replant their land, reclaim their futures and restore Puerto Rico’s incredible coffee industry.

Our efforts in Puerto Rico are part of the Nespresso REVIVING ORIGINS program, which helps revitalize coffee production in farming regions that are under threat due to political conflict, economic hardship or environmental disasters.


Zesty and intense, Cafecito de Puerto Rico is a limited edition coffee that highlights the natural earthiness of Puerto Rico's coffee beans. Perfect on its own, Cafecito de Puerto Rico also mixes perfectly with cream and brown sugar for a "Café Cortadito," a favorite of locals in the city of San Juan.

Reviving Origins by Nespresso - Puerto Rico

"Nespresso has a long legacy of supporting coffee growing regions and communities around the world. We established our Reviving Origins initiative to help farmers revive their coffee farms in areas where production has been negatively impacted or completely destroyed by natural disasters or other adversities," said Guillaume Le Cunff, President and CEO of Nespresso USA. "Coffee is vital to Puerto Rico's rich and vibrant culture and economy. By leveraging the Hispanic Federation's deep understanding of the needs on the island, we can support farmers' livelihoods and foster economic opportunity while offering U.S. customers a truly unique coffee experience."

In October 2018, working alongside the Hispanic Federation, global non-profit TechnoServe, and other organizations, Nespresso committed $1 million as part of a three-year initiative to help revitalize Puerto Rico's coffee industry. The effort plans to reach 1,500 farmers in Puerto Rico through on-the-ground training and mentoring in agronomic and business skills that will help farmers improve the quality and quantity of their crop yields and increase their incomes.

Nespresso Ambassador George Clooney and acclaimed playwright and actor, and proud Puerto Rican, Lin-Manuel Miranda joined forces with Nespresso and the Hispanic Federation to champion the importance of coffee farming in Puerto Rico and spotlight the transformative power coffee can have on farmer livelihoods, communities, and the island's revitalization efforts.



"Puerto Rico still needs our help, and it will take a tremendous effort from both private and public organizations to ensure efforts on the ground have a meaningful and lasting impact," said José Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation. "We're pleased with the progress we're making, but it is only the beginning. With the help of Nespresso and its consumers, we're optimistic about the future of coffee on the island."

Contributions to the Hispanic Federation will support the organization's efforts with World Coffee Research and Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters to plant 2.25 million new coffee trees in Puerto Rico. In addition to funding the initial revitalization initiative, Nespresso has committed 50,000 trees to this effort. Starting in November, Nespresso consumers can further support these efforts by simply recycling their capsules using a limited edition recycling bag. Every Puerto Rico recycling bag represents one new coffee tree that will be planted on the island. To celebrate coffee, culture and art in Puerto Rico, the bag features original artwork, titled Inspiration, by Puerto Rican artist Gerardo Cloquell.

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