Using coffee to build business relationships

Being born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and since I can remember, coffee has been a part of my mornings. I studied my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Business Administration at Bentley University in Massachusetts and worked over 29 years in the financial industry. 

Working in this industry allowed me to understand the importance of building relationships. As Puerto Ricans we are known to meet for “Cafecito” and when you work in finance, it becomes a necessary activity.

When I was first introduced to Café Ama in December of 2019, I was inspired to buy it as a corporate gift for my clients. The holiday season is a great time to thank those that have made your year better. I purchased Café Ama as a gift to clients because it is a coffee with a purpose. All of the sales of this social impact arabica coffee benefit students in Puerto Rico that are enrolled in the SEEDS Program. 

My dream for Café Ama is to be able to sell it as a premium coffee brand that is known for its philanthropy (profits going into the youth of Puerto Rico). 

Thanks to one of our SEEDs student's entrepreneurship projects, Café Ama Mothers' Day sales generated almost $3,000 to feed 290 families in Toa Baja, Guaynabo, Aibonito, Barranquitas, and Vieques. The coffee sales were used to distribute groceries to the families in the SEEDS program during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are very proud of our small entrepreneurs, who are small in age but big at creating hope for Puerto Rico's future.

The ideal goal is to sell Café Ama all over the island, at airports for tourists to spread the word about its mission, and eventually sell it in all states that include “la diaspora” such as Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Texas, Washington D.C. and others.

Buying Café Ama is the perfect opportunity for all of us to contribute meaningfully and be a part of the journey of our youth in Puerto Rico.

Desiree Mieses is the Managing Partner at Lumiere Bay, she serves in the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation and is an Advisory Board Member to Friends of Puerto Rico.

Café Ama is available for corporate purchase, for more information contact us at info@friendsofpuertorico.org