El Salvador’s President Bukele Launches Coffee Brand

President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has launched his own coffee brand, “Bean of Fire,” which aims to showcase the country’s high-quality coffee varieties on the global stage. The initiative goes beyond commercial interests and includes a program to donate 200 pounds of coffee, sugar, and 8,000 cups daily to Salvadoran businesses. This gesture supports local entrepreneurs and encourages Salvadorans living abroad to return and invest in their homeland.

One example is Vista Hermosa, a café-turned-hostel in Suchitoto, founded by a Salvadoran woman who returned after living abroad. Bean of Fire has partnered with Vista Hermosa, offering free coffee to visitors and showcasing the potential for returning expatriates to establish successful businesses in a country where over 90% of coffee is grown on small farms of less than 20 hectares.

Bukele has also made a personal offer to support returning Salvadorans, promising to give them all the coffee they need for a year if they return to El Salvador and open their café. This initiative appears to be part of a broader strategy to incentivize diaspora Salvadorans to return home and contribute to the local economy, potentially revitalizing an industry that once accounted for over half of the country’s GDP. By leveraging his new coffee brand, Bukele is creating opportunities for business growth while promoting El Salvador’s coffee profile.

This positive business development comes in the wake of a recent hiccup when former U.S. President Donald Trump incorrectly accused Bukele of reducing El Salvador’s crime rate by “dumping his criminals” into the United States. Bukele, in a tweet, said he was taking the high road on Trump’s accusation before announcing his coffee initiative.

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