Strategy-Structure Alignment in the World Coffee Industry: The Case of Cooxupé

This case discusses the evolution and challenges of Cooxupé-a coffee marketing cooperative in Brazil. Founded in 1954 by twenty-four producers, Cooxupé experienced significant growth since 1990 as a result of direct export efforts implemented by Joaquim, the Export Director. Yet Cooxupé leaders face increasing challenges ahead. The world coffee industry has evolved in such a way that growth is deemed essential for survival. The growth imperative poses additional challenges to Cooxupé. First, it becomes more difficult to originate coffees with the quality consistency expected by clients. Second, the increased size and heterogeneity of the membership may have negative impacts on cohesion. Third, financial constraints create the need to evaluate and possibly change the cooperative ownership structure. Copyright 2009 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association