Bean Voyage

What Bean Voyage does

Bean Voyage is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a sister entity (Asociación Bean Voyage) in Costa Rica, that supports smallholder women coffee farmers across Latin America. Founded in 2016 in Costa Rica by Sunghee Tark (CEO) and Abhinav Khanal (Executive Director), the organization addresses a structural inequity in the coffee value chain in which women perform the majority of farm labor but capture a small minority of industry revenue. As of the most recent reporting, Bean Voyage supports 1,383 active women producers across Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, and Colombia, with a cumulative alumni base of more than 2,000.

The organization operates three interconnected programs. The Farmer School is a 12-month rural incubator combining structured curriculum (the Thriving Business Framework), WhatsApp-delivered training, peer mentorship, and seed-capital deployment; outcomes reported by alumni include 43% experiencing business growth, 89% reporting increased confidence, 77% reporting improved resilience, and average price premiums of 2.5x commercial benchmarks. The Women-Powered Coffee Collective (WPCC) is a direct-trade platform connecting 232 women producers to specialty roasters with full traceability, with women setting their own prices and signing their own contracts; $1.5M in farmer income and $863K in coffee sales (156.9 tonnes) have been facilitated since 2019. The Women-Powered Coffee Summit (WPCS) is an annual industry convening held in coffee-producing regions, capping at roughly 300 participants (50% reserved for producers via scholarships).

Bean Voyage is funded through a mix of individual donations (subscription tiers of $35, $40, and $80 per month), multi-year foundation grants (The Starbucks Foundation since 2021, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Red Empress, Roddenberry, Skees Family, Coffee Circle), brand partnerships (MiiR, Timemore, Joe Coffee, Falcon Specialty, Minor Figures), and event revenue from WPCS ticket sales ($850+ per ticket). Core technology is the WhatsApp-delivered curriculum plus offline workbooks for low-connectivity regions; no proprietary software platform or API is operated. The organization employs approximately 8 staff across Costa Rica (5), Mexico (2), and a global hub role (1), with 75% of staff drawn from the communities served and gender composition of 6 women and 2 men. Governance includes a US-based 501(c)(3) Board of Directors and a Costa Rica Association board. Bean Voyage is a 2025 SCA Sustainability Awards finalist and was recognized in the 2026 SCA Sustainability Awards guidelines.

Name

Bean Voyage

Legal name

Bean Voyage

Website

https://beanvoyage.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bean Voyage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports smallholder women coffee farmers across Latin America through a 12-month training incubator, seed capital, and a direct-trade market platform. Founded in 2016, it currently serves 1,383 active producers in Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, and Colombia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Agricultural Development Services for Coffee Farmers

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea, Coffee & Cocoa Farming (Beverage Specialty Crops) (AFAGAGAG), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Women coffee farmers
• Farmer training programs
• Specialty coffee trade
• Direct trade platform
• Coffee industry nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Rica

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Bean Voyage is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated primarily through individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly), corporate sponsorships, and brand partnership contributions. Donation tiers fund specific farmer activities: $35 for seed funds, $40 for one year of training, $80 for a WPCS scholarship, and $150 for a full producer package.
2. Foundation and Institutional Grants: Bean Voyage receives multi-year grant funding from institutional funders including The Starbucks Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Red Empress Foundation, Roddenberry Foundation, Skees Family Foundation, and The Coffee Source. These grants fund program expansion (e.g., Farmer School in new geographies, WPCS sponsorship).
3. Coffee Trade Facilitation: Through the Women-Powered Coffee Collective, Bean Voyage facilitates direct trade between women producers and specialty roasters, earning from logistics and coordination services. $1.5M in farmer income and $863K in coffee sales have been facilitated through WPCC. Roasters can purchase directly or via trusted importer partners.
4. Event Revenue (WPCS): The Women-Powered Coffee Summit generates revenue through ticket sales ($850+ per ticket) for industry participants, with scholarships subsidized by sponsors. 300 participants per summit, with 50% reserved for smallholder women producers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bean Voyage is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports smallholder women coffee farmers in Latin America through a bundled offering of agricultural and business training, seed capital for income-generating projects, peer mentorship, and direct market access to specialty roasters. It operates three core programs: Farmer School (a 12-month rural incubator), the Women-Powered Coffee Collective (a direct-trade platform), and the Women-Powered Coffee Summit (an annual industry convening). Services are provided to farmers at no cost, with funding sourced from donations, foundation grants, and corporate brand partnerships.

Product overview

Bean Voyage offers three interconnected programs: Farmer School (a 12-month incubator providing training, peer mentorship, and seed funding), Women-Powered Coffee Collective (a market linkage platform enabling direct farmer-to-buyer trade with full traceability), and Women-Powered Coffee Summit (an annual industry convening). Together, these programs form a comprehensive model supporting women coffee farmers from training through market access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Farmer School: An incubator program for women coffee farmers providing training, seed funds, and mentorship.
• Women-Powered Coffee Collective (WPCC)
• Women-Powered Coffee Summit (WPCS)

Products and services

• Farmer School A 12-month rural incubator program providing smallholder women coffee farmers with agricultural and business training, peer mentorship, and seed funding (averaging ~$300K+ disbursed) to build diversified, climate-resilient farm businesses. Delivered via the Thriving Business Framework combining recruitment (2-3 months), training (5-7 months), seed capital deployment (3-4 months), peer mentorship, and market linkage, through hybrid virtual (WhatsApp) and in-person boot camps. Free to farmer participants.
• Women-Powered Coffee Collective (WPCC) A direct-trade market linkage platform connecting smallholder women coffee farmers directly with specialty roasters and conscious buyers, enabling transparent pricing (2.5X commercial prices), full farm-to-roaster traceability, and direct trade where women set their own prices, sign their own contracts, and receive payments directly into their own accounts. Roasters can purchase directly or via trusted importer partners.
• Women-Powered Coffee Summit (WPCS) An annual three-day summit bringing together women across the coffee value chain — producers, traders, roasters, baristas, and researchers — to build community, share knowledge, facilitate direct market connections, and advance gender equity in the coffee industry. Tickets start at $850 for industry participants, with scholarships subsidized by sponsors for LATAM producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43% of farmers experienced business growth due to Bean Voyage's support
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• iDEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Partnership with iDE (Canada and Honduras) to implement the Market Readiness Farmer School in El Paraiso, Honduras, supporting 50 smallholder women coffee farmers with training, seed capital, and market access readiness. iDE leads income diversification training and market linkages. Supported by MCIC (Manitoba Council for International Cooperation).
• MiiRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnchor brand partner that has helped launch market readiness work in Mexico, supporting producers with their first exportation through Bean Voyage. Co-branded products have been created to amplify women-powered coffee.
• CQI (Coffee Quality Institute)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnabled more than 40 women coffee producers in Mexico to attend the Women-Powered Coffee Summit in 2024 and 2025.
• SANAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health and wellness initiative for women in coffee farming founded by Lucia Bawot. SANA operates as part of the Bean Voyage affiliate network. Bean Voyage provides fiscal sponsorship for SANA's mental health care programs (5-month integrative program combining teletherapy, education, and community-based support) in coffee communities. Pilot in Colombia reached 39 women.
• Falcon SpecialtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-time partner in the industry. Line Cosmidis, Head of Sales at Falcon Specialty, attended WPCS and shared positive reflections about the power dynamic shift at the event.
• Joe Coffee CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term brand partner and supporter since 2019. Amaris Gutierrez-Ray, Head of Coffee and founder of Women in Coffee Project, has been a key collaborator, speaker, and team sponsor at WPCS. Brought 5 team members to WPCS 2024.
• Siruma CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombian partner for the Farmer School pilot program in Tolima, Colombia (2024-25). Working with women's associations AMUCAFLOME and Café Agrario. Provided local coordination including physical workbooks and regional support for 50 women producers.
• AlgranominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWPCS partner since the first year in Costa Rica. Platform facilitating roaster connections to women-produced coffee.
• TimemoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partner co-branding with Bean Voyage for coffee accessories and impact storytelling.
• Needle + FrameminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArtist collective that co-created participatory documentary series with five women producers (including Ericka Mora and Margoth Rivera) from 2020-2022, producing films that premiered at WPCS.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Root Capital: Nonprofit agricultural lender investing in smallholder farmer cooperatives globally, including coffee. Comparable to Bean Voyage in serving coffee smallholders with capital and advisory support, but operates as a social-impact lender rather than a training-focused nonprofit.
• Fair Trade USA: Leading third-party fair-trade certifier for coffee and other commodities. Comparable to Bean Voyage in addressing producer equity in coffee, but operates via certification rather than direct program delivery.
• TechnoServe: Large international nonprofit focused on business solutions to poverty in agricultural value chains, including a long-running coffee initiative. Operates at much greater scale and broader geographic scope than Bean Voyage, with similar farmer-training and market-linkage approaches.
• Heifer International: Global nonprofit supporting smallholder farmers through training, livestock, and income-diversification — directly analogous to Bean Voyage's seed-fund model (poultry, beekeeping, home gardens). Operates at much larger scale and across many value chains.

Direct peers

• Equal Exchange: Worker and farmer cooperative specialty coffee company that works directly with smallholder farmer cooperatives globally. Shares Bean Voyage's direct-trade ethos and smallholder focus, with a longer operating history and broader product range.
• Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers: Specialty coffee importer with a relationship-based direct-trade model and producer training programs in Latin America. Closely comparable to WPCC's roaster-connection function, with established B2B specialty coffee market presence.
• Thrive Farmers: Farmer-direct specialty coffee platform that returns a higher share of revenue to producers. Shares Bean Voyage's mission of increasing farmer share of coffee value through direct relationships, with a more commercially-oriented B2B model.
• Pachamama Coffee: Farmer-owned coffee cooperative model with direct-to-roaster trade and producer equity ownership. Comparable to Bean Voyage's WPCC in emphasizing smallholder farmer agency and direct market access, though operating as a cooperative rather than a nonprofit.

Emerging players

• iDE: International nonprofit creating income opportunities for rural entrepreneurs, with active partnership with Bean Voyage in Honduras. Comparable in delivering farm-management training and market access to smallholders, but operating across many value chains and geographies.

Others

• Coffee Quality Institute (CQI): Nonprofit focused on improving coffee quality and supply-chain education globally. Bean Voyage has a working partnership with CQI enabling producer attendance at WPCS; CQI operates adjacent capacity-building work in the same producer communities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/beanvoyage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bean-voyage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bean Voyage