Selling on your own land: analysis of the operation of fairtrade social enterprises in the domestic market in Mexico

Abstract

Since 1988, organic fair trade social coffee enterprises (SCE) in Mexico have been selling their product in the international market, which has increasing regulatory barriers that make it increasingly inaccessible. Because of this, the SCE need to increase their sales in the Mexican domestic market, but to do so, it is first necessary to assess and find areas of opportunity for the operation of SCE in that market. Adaptation and appropriation of methodologies related to the context of SCE was carried out. The information was collected through three interview guides and a survey directed to management, roasting, sales and promotion personnel, as well as partners of the SCE. SCE social media and web pages were also reviewed. The results were presented to the ESCs for discussion. They identify the need to generate synergies between the work of the roasting, sales and promotion areas to ensure a more effective and efficient business performance in the SCE studied and a greater presence of these in digital media is required. The importance of the principles, objectives and people in the operation of the companies themselves as well as in the confluence with the interests of the millennial and Z generations, the main drivers of the increase in coffee consumption in Mexico, are evident.