I am so sad to be leaving Costa Rica today after two weeks. This study abroad experience has been more than I could’ve asked for! On our final day of activities, we traveled to a strawberry farm, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and a professional fútbol game. This combination was a perfect way to end the trip. At the strawberry farm, the guide described the growing process while showing us around the farm. The guide shared how they import thousands of strawberry plants from multiple different countries and plant them all. Before the tour, I had no idea Costa Rica imports all their strawberry plants! My favorite part of the tour was picking a container full of strawberries and eating them immediately after. The strawberries were extremely fresh and delicious. We did not even wash them before eating! In addition to the strawberries, they gave us chocolate sauce and condensed milk to act as a dip/drizzle. I have never eaten so many strawberries in my life.
At La Paz Waterfall Gardens, we saw many varieties of animals, such as frogs, butterflies, tropical birds, sloths, and even a puma. I took so many photos and I cannot wait to share them. After lunch, we walked down to view all the waterfalls and take in the wonderful scenery. Later, in the evening, we all ventured to a Tico fútbol game and cheered on the team from Alajuela. Alajuela was playing the team from Heredia in the semifinals of the playoffs. The energy from the crowd was unmatched and I especially loved the team spirit through the songs they sang and jumping up and down in the stands.
Our project throughout this study abroad experience was to analyze the supply chain of many tropical agricultural products in Costa Rica. Specifically, my group focused on the planning aspect in relation to the coffee industry. From a coffee seed to grow into a full size coffee plant with coffee cherries, it takes around three years. Baby plants generally begin in a nursery and are upgraded to the farm when deemed ready. By law, Costa Rican coffee farmers are only allowed to grow Arabica coffee in order to ensure the highest quality. Additionally, all the coffee plantations we toured use only organic fertilizers to protect the environment and the people consuming the coffee. However, large commercial plantations, such as Chiquita, use chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their farms. In terms of planning, coffee farmers have to take into account the impacts of climate change. The size of coffee cherries are decreasing due to an increase in temperature. So, it takes more cherries to fill a basket. Overall, coffee plantations are losing profit as a result of this issue. However, Doka Estate, a coffee plantation we visited, is planting trees to provide shade to the coffee plants in order to combat the rising temperatures.
Not all coffee companies grow and/or roast their own coffee beans. Although, at Doka, they partake in every step. Up until Cafe Britt acquired them recently, Doka has used a hydro-powered coffee mill to separate and grind the coffee cherries, as opposed to an electric mill. Cherries are put into three different categories based on the quality of the cherry. This is determined by whether they sink or float, as well as the size. Cherries that sink and are larger are high quality and vice versa. Even if a cherry is considered lower quality, it is still sold, just at a more affordable price. Moreover, no part of the coffee cherry goes to waste. Some parts are used to make parchment and others are composted. All the coffee plantations we visited put a high value on both sustainability and conservation.
In contrast to Doka Estate, Cafe Britt receives their coffee beans from all over Costa Rica and roasts them exclusively. Coffee is roasted to order which allows Britt to guarantee the highest quality. A significant proportion of Café Britt’s profits come from sales within retail stores in malls, hotels, and airports. There are over 300 stores all over the country and the Americas. These locations are prime locations for tourists, which is one of the most important industries in Costa Rica. To make each store unique and personable, Britt decorates the store with aspects from local culture. In a Costa Rican store, for example, there are “windows” made to look like the rainforest and souvenirs handcrafted from local artisans. In addition to retail stores, Cafe Britt also has cafes, named “Britt Cafe and Bakery,” where they sell their coffee and pastries.
To attract customers, Café Britt packages their products using colorful bags in bright colors. They also partner with Costa Rican wildlife protection agencies to market their bags of coffee, while giving back to the community. The bags feature animals native to Costa Rica such as sloths, macaws, and monkeys. Planning how to market to consumers is a vital part of the supply chain process. This entire trip has opened my eyes to all the factors of a strong business, including both the challenges and the successes. I am so thankful for the experiences I have had and I will definitely miss my mamá tica and all the new people I have met!
I of course cannot end my final blog post without including a couple original puns.
What would a motivational bird say?
- Tou-can do it!
What did one strawberry say to the other?
- I’m berry happy to see you!