Every year on March 8th, on International Women’s Day, the world is filled with words: equality, respect, rights, recognition. These are important words. Necessary. But too often they remain just words.
Talking about equality is easy, supporting women’s work is a little less so.
In the coffee sector, women’s contribution is crucial: 70% of the plantation workforce is women. They cultivate, select, harvest, ferment, and monitor processes and quality.
They are present at every stage of the supply chain, from plantations to cooperatives.
Yet they rarely have direct access to economic resources, technical training, decision-making roles, or ownership of the very land they work or the homes they inhabit.
Behind every cup lies a complex agricultural, social, and economic history. In that history, women’s work is often crucial but not always recognized.
This is why Caffè delle Donne was born: it is not a symbolic celebration, it is a concrete choice.
In recent years, organizations committed to reducing this structural imbalance have emerged. Among these, a central role is played by the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), an international network working to promote women’s economic independence, access to training, and greater representation of women in decision-making processes in the coffee supply chain.
This isn’t a declaration of intent. These are concrete projects:
- technical training
- development of financial and entrepreneurial skills
- support for rural communities
- creation of international professional networks
Supporting these initiatives means contributing to a fairer and more sustainable supply chain model in the long term.
But there is an inevitable question: what can the consumer actually do?
You can choose what to buy.
And this is where individual responsibility meets collective impact: purchasing Caffè delle Donne is a simple gesture, but it is not neutral.
Every consumer choice shapes the market. Every purchase supports a model. Every preference creates a direction.
By purchasing this coffee, you directly support the work of women in the coffee supply chain and contribute to the continuation of a commitment that doesn’t end on March 8th.
Drinking this coffee means supporting a different model.
A model in which value isn’t just talked about, but practiced.
And if it’s not for you, give it as a gift!
March 8th is often associated with a symbolic gesture. But today, more and more people are looking for March 8th gifts that have a genuine meaning.
If you’re looking for a gift “for my wife,” “for my girlfriend or partner,” the question isn’t just “what to buy?”, but “what do I want to support?”
The Caffè delle Donne is not a decorative tribute, it is a declaration of coherence.
It means choosing a product that embodies a real, daily, and measurable commitment. It means transforming a moment of consumption into an act of responsibility.
And it is precisely in everyday normality that lasting changes are built.
In fact, this café exists so that women’s work is recognized every day.
It’s a choice that speaks of fairness, responsibility, and long-term vision.
Or buy it at Torrefazione Ernani
in Milan, Corso Buenos Aires, 20
Ernani x IWCA Summary Sheet
Caffè Ernani is a member company of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, Italian chapter, officially recognized by IWCA global.
Anyone can support the association with an affordable annual fee, contributing to 2026 projects, including:
- development of a project originally in Guatemala (kindergarten / school)
- professional training courses, such as Ernani’s “Become a Barista” aimed at unemployed women
- organizing a fundraising event to support IWCA affiliated rural communities
- meetings in schools and universities to spread culture and awareness
- Increased raw coffee purchase price to help women entrepreneurs improve processes, machinery, and wages
A daily gesture can have a real impact.
The difference, often, lies in the choice.
Marketing, E-commerce e Social Media Manager
Coffee Lover
