THE COOPERATIVE: The Peru Coffee for Physicians Who Do Not Do It Alone
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By Maryal Concepcion, MD, FAAFP · 5 minute read
A cooperative is a group of people who own the thing together and share what it earns. THE COOPERATIVE is a washed Peru from the Amazonas region, medium roasted, with lemon, herbal notes, and chocolate in the cup. This post starts with the name, then covers what is in the bag and how to brew it.
Why it is called THE COOPERATIVE
Named for the way independent physicians survive: together.
Independent practice sounds like a solo act. It almost never is. The physicians who make it work have a text thread, a dinner every month, and three other people they can ask what a vendor should cost. Nobody teaches you to run a business in residency. The cooperative is how you learn anyway.
Dr. Victoria Leventis-Shew, DO, of Victory Family Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina, described hers on My DPC Story, episode 257, a local group of Direct Primary Care owners who meet for dinner and compare notes on everything from supply minimums to software:
"Don't try to do everything alone if you don't have to."
And on the practical end of it, the question she now asks before any big supply order:
"Is this something that maybe I could cost share?"
That is the version of independence I advocate for: physicians who own their own practices and lean on each other rather than on a corporation. Direct Primary Care has grown almost entirely this way, one physician telling another how they did it. The podcast exists for the same reason. Listen to episode 257 of My DPC Story.
What is in the bag
Single origin from the Amazonas region of northern Peru, washed, grown between 1,600 and 1,800 meters, from Typica, Castillo, Bourbon, and Catimor trees. Grade 1, strictly high grown. Medium roast.
The cup. Lemon, herbal notes, and chocolate with a smooth body and medium acidity. The notes come from the bean, nothing added.
The bag. 12 ounces ground or whole bean. Roasted in frequent small batches based on customer demand, so it is not produced far in advance or held in storage.
The price. $22.99. Ships free at $50.
How to brew it
Pour over. The lemon and the herbal note both come through. Slightly finer than drip.
Drip. Standard grind, 1 to 16. Chocolate forward, easy.
French press. Coarse, four minutes. Smoother, more chocolate.
Who this coffee is for
The physician with a text thread. The one that answers at 9 PM about a vendor. Buy them a bag.
The practice that shares a supply order. Split this too.
Anyone who has said "you should write a book" to a patient. Dr. Leventis-Shew says it to every one of hers.
Frequently asked questions
Is THE COOPERATIVE a single origin coffee?
Yes. It is from the Amazonas region of Peru, washed, grown between 1,600 and 1,800 meters. The roaster lists Typica, Castillo, Bourbon, and Catimor.
What does it taste like?
Lemon, herbal, and chocolate with a smooth body and medium acidity. A medium roast that leans clean and balanced rather than heavy.
Is this the same Peru as POST CALL?
No. POST CALL is the Swiss Water decaffeinated Peru. THE COOPERATIVE is the full-caffeine version. Same country, different coffee.
What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care is a membership model where patients pay their physician directly, usually a flat monthly fee, for primary care. Most practices are independently owned, and the physicians who run them tend to support each other through local groups and national communities. They tell their stories on the My DPC Story podcast.
How do I find a Direct Primary Care doctor near me?
Search The DPC Directory, a free listing of Direct Primary Care practices by location.
More resources from My DPC Story
The My DPC Story Podcast. Three hundred episodes of physicians describing how they opened, grew, and run Direct Primary Care practices, in their own words.
The DPC Directory. Find a Direct Primary Care physician near you.
My DPC Story, episode 257 with Dr. Victoria Leventis-Shew. The cost sharing conversation is at 1:04:18 and the local DPC group at 1:18:49.
Shop this coffee
THE COOPERATIVE, 12 oz · $22.99
Peru is also one of the six in THE DIFFERENTIAL.
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