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Madison · United States

Singing Rooster

Since 2009 · Molly Nicaise, Christophe Nicaise

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Overview

Singing Rooster was founded in 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin by husband-and-wife volunteers Molly and Christophe Nicaise, who recognized that aid-dependent Haiti needed sustainable export markets — and that Haitian coffee, the world's third-largest export in 1949, had simply lost its buyers. The 501(c)(3) social enterprise pays Haitian co-op farmers a minimum of $4 per pound of green coffee with no fluctuation, returns another 50¢ post-sale, and has rebuilt processing infrastructure after Hurricane Isaac, Hurricane Matthew, and the 2010 earthquake.

Known for

  • First sustainable U.S. import channel for specialty Haitian Arabica since the 1949 export collapse
  • Pays farmers $4/lb minimum with zero fluctuation — vs sub-$1/lb commodity rate
  • Partnership with Catholic Relief Services in Beaumont and InterAide in Artibonite
  • Rebuilt the Thiotte processing center roof after Hurricane Isaac (2012)
  • Co-founder Christophe Nicaise (1965-2023) was a longtime Haiti-based supply-chain organizer

Why it matters

The clearest example of how a small U.S. nonprofit can rebuild a once-flourishing origin — by removing middlemen, providing pre-harvest credit, and committing to fixed pricing through every harvest.

Production

destoning
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head roaster
Joel (head roaster, Wisconsin warehouse)
color sorting
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roaster machine
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filter equipment
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cupping frequency
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roastery location
Hager City, Wisconsin (warehouse roastery)
espresso equipment
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annual volume tonnes
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Recognitions

  • 501(c)(3) certified
  • Catholic Relief Services partner

Sources

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