Tour and meal at the recently opened CoopeVictoria Community/Workers Cafeteria

After Maria Angela Zamora Chavez, the Sustainability Manager at CoopeVictoria cooperative and our host, had collected us from our hotel in San Jose, she drove Mike and Sheena King to the CoopeVictoria complex located just outside the Fairtrade Town of Grecia in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Caption: – Victoria Cafeteria banner – open sign.

Caption: – Exterior view of Victoria Cafeteria and garden.

We arrived in time for lunch at CoopeVictoria’s recently opened Community and Workers Cafeteria. The building was only opened in April 2022, converted from a former coffee picker’s bungalow. It was the “brain-child” of Maria. She wanted to emulate the Hill’s Community Café in Micklefield, High Wycombe, which she had visited in 2019 as a guest of Wycombe For Fairtrade and the Mayor of High Wycombe. She was impressed with the idea of having a café which offered a community hub for local people to meet, promote local events and artists, and as a place that welcomed children.

Caption: – Sheena on the veranda of the newly opened Cafeteria.

Caption: – Interior of CoopeVictoria Workers’ Cafeteria. 4 of 6

Another benefit was that the good quality food was sold at reasonable prices. Volunteers and young people could also gain work experience. The food was plentiful, well-presented, and delicious, with a wide choice of meat, vegetarian, and vegan meals. The cafeteria was also open to local Grecia residents. The veranda portico extended along two sides of building

Caption: – Interior view of Victoria Cafeteria, light and airy, showing many paintings around the walls of Costa Rican scenes by local artists.

Caption: Cafeteria menu using local organic sugar, coffee, fruit, and vegetable ingredients.