haiti coffee growers
Members of a coffee cooperative in Haiti tend to their product. One proposal in a business pitch competition is designed to assist coffee growers. Courtesy: Caribbrew

Entrepreneur Beverly Malbranche wants to help revive Haiti’s coffee-bean cultivation. Yet, the Newark, New Jersey resident said, she knows too well the challenges of financing her three-year-old socially conscious business.

“Usually, you go to the banks, and they [charge] you interest,” said Malbranche, founder and CEO of coffee retailer CariBBrew. “When you try to get funds from venture capital or an angel investor, or even a social impact fund, they consider the risks of doing business in Haiti much higher than other places.” 

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Sam is a reporter for The Haitian Times and a 2020 Report for America corps member. He has covered Haiti and its diaspora since 2018. His work has also appeared in USA Today, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Haiti Liberte. Sam can be reached at sam@haitiantimes.com or on Twitter @sambojarski.