Azahar is more than a green coffee company—it’s a movement to create lasting impact in the coffee supply chain. Rooted in Colombia and Mexico, Azahar bridges farmers, pickers, and roasters through a shared commitment to fairness and quality. At the heart of this mission is The Pickers Project, a pioneering initiative that uplifts the often-invisible heroes of coffee: the mobile pickers. Many come from displaced or vulnerable communities, yet through Azahar and its foundation Manos al Grano, they receive fair wages, legal protections, and steady, dignified work. For farmers, this means access to skilled and reliable harvesters who help unlock the full potential of their coffee, while roasters can take pride in sourcing beans that carry a story of equity and sustainability. With Azahar, every cup becomes more than just coffee—it becomes a connection to people, purpose, and progress.

Picker's Project

In 2017, Azahar created the “Pickers Project” with the threefold goal of ending worker exploitation in coffee, solving farmers’ labor issues, and improving quality. Its Colombian foundation, Manos al Grano, now trains a team of fulltime pickers, which it deploys to its partner farmers. It pays them salaries with the same benefits its employees are entitled to, something virtually unheard of in the world of picking coffee.

Participating farmers don’t have to scramble to find labor; now they have skilled workers on demand. Their harvest is largely pre-financed, as they pay for the cost of picking when they deliver their coffee and get paid themselves. The cost is still calculated on a “piece” basis, meaning they get the benefits of a piece wage system (e.g. no overhead) without subjecting workers to piece wage exploitation. They can streamline their operation, comply with labor laws, and increase quality, all at the same time. Meanwhile, roasters benefit from the increased quality and the certainty that they are not buying products harvested with illegal or exploitative labor practices.