The Tlapajti initiative is the ‘Alliance for the Development of Specialty and Regenerative Coffees’ project, taking place in the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz, and led by Ensambles Cafés Mexicanos.
Gibrán Cervantes, director and founder of Ensambles, shared with us his dream, passion, and commitment to transforming coffee processing in indigenous communities. His vision goes beyond traditional practices, shifting from purchasing coffee in cherries—previously lacking added value—to a community wet mill, producing quality parchment coffee. By carefully managing fermentations and drying techniques, Ensambles can enhance the cup quality and ensures a supply of high-value coffees, generating better incomes for producing families and creating a positive impact throughout the region.
Tlapajti serves as a pilot program, helping to define the future of an entire region and build development partnerships with strategic allies. These partners can become ambassadors of the model, sharing a vision, mission, and values, and helping create new opportunities and hope for producing families. The Tlapajti wet mill is proof that a few well-focused actions can bring about significant change.
Cultivating Community
In the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz, community work is organized through a collaborative system called faena. This system helps people in the community work together to improve their surroundings. They take on projects like building roads, fixing pathways, installing electricity, and making other essential improvements for their area.
We want to highlight this concept because the Tlapajti project, developed in Zongolica, and whose name in Nahuatl means "To Heal," is closely aligned with the idea of faena. It is an initiative that has grown over several years, driven not only by the unity of local producers but also by the collaboration of various external partners: Ensambles Cafés Mexicanos (ECM) and the Bios Terra Institute (IBT), El Equimite, and roasters Kaffeemacher (in Switzerland) and Black Hen (in Germany).
What sets this faena apart is its seemingly endless nature. Over four years and four seasons of work have shaped its journey (see timeline), resembling a script in progress: a clear beginning, a plot filled with challenges, and multiple outcomes that have yet to reach a definitive conclusion. The story continues to unfold, driven by collective will and the desire for transformation.
Here’s more about this ongoing project:
Investing in Connections
If you've made it this far, you've likely read through the entire timeline, which might have seemed a bit exhausting or even overwhelming. But that’s exactly the point—no project comes to life without facing ups and downs, moments of uncertainty, and tough decisions. Despite all of this, this story also highlights the resilience, patience, and strong desire to create change that everyone involved in the project has shown.
"When I met Philipp almost six years ago," says Gibran, "I realized that we shared a passion and a deep sense of responsibility for working with transparency and ethics in the coffee world. I thought it would be wonderful to invite him to be part of this process."
We spoke with Philipp Schallberger, managing partner at Kaffeemacher, who enthusiastically decided to join the development of this initiative.
Ensambles’ original idea was clear:
• Create a cooperative.
• Increase both the volume and quality of coffee.
• Facilitate the transition to more sustainable agricultural models.
• Obtain organic certification for the producers
• Open new market opportunities for producers in the region.
However, along the way, the initial goals were revised, as reaching the desired quality, volume, and certification proved to be a challenging task. Throughout the process, there were numerous challenges, and at times, it seemed the Tlapajti project might come to a halt.
“The original goals weren’t met as we expected, but we decided not to give up on the project. Both we and Black Hen are thinking long-term. We’re not interested in being specialty roasters just to get a 90-point scoring cup. That doesn’t make sense. What really makes sense is building connections with the people who care for a community, the land, and the landscapes. For that, we needed a strong and responsible group, but also one that trusts each other and is willing to walk in the same direction as Ensambles,” says Philipp.
Philipp also reflected on how the roaster is perceived by the producers. He doesn’t want to be seen as a distant, passive buyer driven only by commercial interests; his goal is to build a strong relationship that goes beyond the transactional. “The real question was: How can we invest in a way that shows the producers are more to us than just coffee suppliers? That’s when we decided to invest time, emotions, energy, and some money into this project, because investment also creates a connection. In our case, that connection is the Community Wet Mill,” he concludes.
The Path to Independence
Since the end of 2024, the wet mill located on producer Germán Guerra’s farm—an estate that feels like a journey to the past—has been operating, giving producers the autonomy to process their coffee cherries without incurring milling costs.
This new resource aims to:
• Standardise processes to improve traceability and yields.
• Enhance sensory quality through more controlled fermentations.
• Create a new value chain by offering additional services to neighbouring communities and generating income to fund other projects.
Phillip emphasizes that the goal is to establish a system where producers are leaders and sovereign, enabling them to continue driving their initiatives independently.
Excitement in Zongolica
Eduardo López, Field Technician in Zongolica and internal auditor, was involved in the entire construction process of the wet mill. He notes that, with this new tool, the producers feel more motivated, have strengthened their trust with Ensambles and the roasters, and have shown greater commitment, even though some live an hour or more away from the mill.
"We already have coffee in process. Our allies from Finca La Joya trained me at El Equimite, Ensambles' biodynamic coffee farm, on the use of the wet mill and its processes, and now this knowledge is being passed on to the producers in the region," explains Eduardo.
Miguel Guevara, Operations Director at ECM and one of the main leaders of Tlapajti since its inception, is still in awe, as he feels the wet mill was built incredibly fast, almost in the blink of an eye. He is amazed by the organizational and leadership skills of all the partners, as well as the new atmosphere, which feels completely different from past seasons.
“I feel confident about seeing the model grow, more than the project itself. It’s important because we’re fostering the empowerment of producing families and encouraging the creation of a rural business, a process of collaboration. Commercial entities should invest in that kind of trust,” says Miguel.
Towards Certification
One of Tlapajti’s goals is to obtain organic certification. Currently, some producers are on track to achieve this milestone this year.
This effort aims to strengthen production under agroforestry systems, enabling farmers to:
• Produce their own compost, reducing dependence on commercial fertilizers.
• Increase the resilience of their farms by improving soil health and protecting water sources and biodiversity.
Join the Change
We are currently running impactful projects in Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, and Veracruz. If you're interested in sponsoring or contributing to any of these initiatives, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’re eager to hear your ideas!
Photos: Eduardo López – Ensambles Cafés Mexicanos – Kaffemacher
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