Madison · United States
Singing Rooster
Singing Rooster roasts in Madison, Wisconsin.
Since 2009 · Molly Nicaise, Christophe Nicaise
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
- head roaster
- Joel (head roaster, Wisconsin warehouse)
- roastery location
- Hager City, Wisconsin (warehouse roastery)
Recognitions
- 501(c)(3) certified
- Catholic Relief Services partner