Kenco trains future farmers

Kenco’s Coffee vs Gangs project, in the heart of Honduras, has reached its final stage.

The scheme trained young people to become coffee farmers and business owners, benefitting both Kenco and the youths involved, who might otherwise have ended up in gangs. Gangs pose a real threat to local communities in Honduras.

Content company, The Moment, has, throughout the 12-month process, documented the teenage participants of the scheme. It has created a series of video shorts which have helped to sustain external engagement with the project and have provided stakeholders with an insight into the work that Kenco does for the betterment of its supply chain.

Alex Moore, creative director at The Moment, says, “Our role was to draw out the real human stories from our participants at the centre of the project. We had to contextualise the shocking realities of life in Honduras, understand their relationships with friends and family, and allow the real-life drama of their life-changing experiences in the scheme to gradually become the focus as the impact of their achievements became more and more apparent. I'm tremendously proud of the project and of our incredible production team that have delivered these films.”

As well as providing value from a communications perspective (Kenco reports strong audience engagement rates and a gradual market share gain over its nearest competitor), the Coffee vs Gangs project is also a successful sustainability story, since Kenco is investing in the future of its produce.

William Bennett, brand team at Kenco, says, “We knew that setting up such a ground breaking project as Coffee vs Gangs would be a challenge from a multitude of different perspectives and we are delighted to have managed to deliver a successful scheme.” Participants in the Coffee vs Gangs programme have now graduated and are putting their training into practice by starting their own businesses. Kenco will soon be introducing 20 new participants to the scheme.