Benecke Coffee: Who Will Help Producers Get Paid? (COMSA & Peruvian Cooperatives) - EP1722 Part 2 of 5 (Map It Forward)
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Episode Description
This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests for this series are Rodolfo Peñalba, General Manager of COMSA in Honduras, his colleague Olvyn Hernandez, and Óscar Inocente, a lawyer working with four Peruvian cooperatives affected by the Benecke Coffee insolvency. Pedro Manga joins Lee as co-host and Spanish translator.
This is our fourth series covering the Benecke case, and we're continuing to explore the fight to get coffee producers paid.
Millions of dollars remain outstanding. But who can still help recover the money owed to the affected cooperatives?
In this episode, Lee and Pedro ask their guests what the coffee industry can do to support the producers in Peru and Honduras, and whether the attention generated by Map It Forward's previous coverage has helped move the situation forward.
Rodolfo reflects on the breakdown of a 23-year commercial relationship with Benecke and the extraordinary financial risks that coffee producers carry when exporting to international buyers. He also acknowledges the support COMSA has received from other coffee businesses, including German buyers who continue to maintain responsible trading relationships.
Óscar explains how public discussion of the case has helped affected Peruvian cooperative members better understand what happened, while also raising awareness of the vulnerability producers face when international buyers fail to pay.
Beyond the outstanding payments, the cooperatives are dealing with legal costs, uncertainty, pressure from their members, and potentially reduced access to financing.
The conversation also examines the role of public accountability, reputational consequences for businesses involved in coffee supply chains, and the responsibilities of those overseeing the insolvency proceedings.
Óscar explains that the Peruvian cooperatives have requested further information from the insolvency administrator. If adequate information is not forthcoming, they are considering making a formal complaint to the Hamburg court to seek greater transparency about the proceedings.
This episode raises an important question for the global coffee industry: when producers fulfill their contractual obligations but don't get paid, who is prepared to help them recover what they're owed?
Connect with our guests:
Rodolfo Peñalba and COMSA: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comsaofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/comsa_oficial/
Olvyn Hernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olvyn-hernandez-5b9269256/
Óscar Inocente: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oinocente/
Peruvian Cooperatives Media Manager - Marcafab: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marcafab
Catch up on our previous Benecke coverage:
Series 1 | Peru: The experiences of affected Peruvian cooperatives: https://www.mapitforward.coffee/podcasts/daily-coffee-pro-benecke-coffee-1656
Series 2 | Honduras: COMSA's experience and the impact on Honduran producers: https://www.mapitforward.coffee/podcasts/daily-coffee-pro-benecke-coffee-comsa-1661
Series 3 | The Benecke Case Explained: Lee Safar reviews the situation, evidence and outstanding questions: https://www.mapitforward.coffee/podcasts/daily-coffee-pro-lee-safar-solo-benecke-1666