Consultores Financieros S.A.

www.cofinanzas.com

The Project: Consultores Financieros S.A. (Cofinanzas) is a leading producer and exporter of certified organic and specialty coffee in El Salvador. Established in 1987, this Salvadorian family-owned enterprise is also a coffee broker with relationships with prestigious coffee roasters and trading houses in Europe, Japan, and the U.S.

The Deal: In October 2005, Verde Ventures provided a loan of $150,000 to Cofinanzas for working capital for post-harvest finance for shade-grown coffee.

The Benefit to Conservation: Cofinanzas’ 172-hectare farm is located near El Imposible National Park – the last refuge for biodiversity in El Salvador – in the Mesoamerica biodiversity hotspot. Cofinanzas’ sustainable growing methods help protect the buffer zone of this 3,800-hectare park, in addition to generating direct and indirect employment for 500 people and paying above the local market price to its suppliers. The company is also building a school and supporting a nutrition center that will benefit at least 200 children.