My team’s topic was service which deals with how companies can maintain returning customers and produce a product people actually want. Throughout our trip, we have taken many tours which showcase a different part of the coffee supply chain. This is what I’ve learned about each step in the chain as it relates to my…
Tag: John Profozich
Optimizations of Cooperation
A cooperative is an organization which operates under the leadership of many member-owners. These partial owners all have a voice in running the business. The democratic nature of cooperatives means many people from different backgrounds and knowledge can have input into the company’s decisions. Solutions which consist of the viewpoint of a diverse number of…
Day O!
Bananas and pineapples have a slightly different supply chain than coffee. In banana and pineapple production, the chain begins with the farm, just like it does for coffee, but from the farm “the beautiful bunch of ripe bananas [and pineapples]” goes directly to a shipping company. In coffee production, the coffee is grown and then…
Disruption of Ecotourism: Eruption of Disease
Cloud forests and rainforests are both present in the mountains of Costa Rica, but are in many ways very different. The cloud forest of Monteverde is higher in elevation than the rainforest in Arenal. The cloud forest has clouds passing through the floor of the forest, was much cooler than the rainforest, and had epiphytes…
Tracing the Terraces of Monteverde
Life as a Tico farmer seemed very busy. Specifically at the Monteverde farm, Don Guillermo had animals to care for as well as crops. The animals required constant feeding and checks on their health and milking or shearing for goats and sheep respectively. The coffee crops which are grown organically need to have weeds removed,…
Ecotourism: A bridge to more sustainable practices
Throughout Costa Rica’s history, productivity, conservation, and sustainability have battled for primary occupation of the country’s people and economy. Productivity in Costa Rica before the 1980s primarily concerned farming (coffee/banana) plantations and animal pastures. Plantations and pastures require large amounts of open space to plant crops or to let animals openly graze. So until the…
Moving to the Mountains
Directly outside the cities of the Central Valley lie neighborhoods which are significantly less dense with buildings and people. These communities on the outskirts of the cities seemed to be scattered and consist of very small houses. Primarily the only stores seemed to be family owned and based out of the houses on the side…
A March through Marketing
Most Costa Ricans may not drink Cafe Britt because it is very expensive compared to other coffee brands for sale in supermarkets. Cafe Britt is mostly geared toward tourists, but their higher prices are compensated by the prevalence and style of their branding. They are specifically advertised as coffee brewed the “Costa Rican” way and…
Johnny and the beanstalk
During the trip I was most surprised by the beginning step of the coffee production process where the plantation used mostly Nicaraguan workers to collect the beans. In the United States, modern agricultural harvesting methods mostly rely on the use of heavy machinery to quickly to collect crops from a large amount of land. But…
First day of a Pura Vida
One impression that I had of Costa Rica is that it seems many places are heavily influenced by American culture. This seemed to be especially prevalent in the mall we visited. Many of the brands in the stores are the same that we have in the United States. In addition, the labeling on many of…
¡Buenos días, Costa Rica!
Costa Rica’s international recognition for its sustainability initiatives gives me a positive perception of the country. Costa Rica’s high ranking in environmental sustainability indicates the country goes to great lengths to improve its environment. To me, care for the environment indicates a concern for the future. When the environment is cared for and preserved in…