About us
CoCo Sapiens is a non-profit association that develops tools to understand and transform food systems.
We are a community of conscious consumers. We build reference standards, the CoCo Score and short-supply-chain networks so that choosing well no longer depends on marketing, but on documented information.
Mission and tools
Our mission is to help people understand how food is produced and what impact different production models generate from a holistic, systemic perspective. We develop reference standards and analysis tools for agriculture, livestock and fisheries, to empower conscious consumers and support those who produce with integrity.
CoCo Sapiens standards, the points-of-sale map, Food Reports and the associated consultants network form one ecosystem: clear criteria, access to member producers, rigorous knowledge and support for transformation.
Directors
The directors of CoCo Sapiens: gastronomy, technology, law and communication in service of the conscious consumer.
Xavier Sala
Founder & President of CoCo Sapiens · Director of JRE Spain · Chef and owner of Café 1907 · Founder of The Green Wine Philosophy · Independent writer on food systems
Lucas León
Founder & Secretary of CoCo Sapiens · CEO of INLOC Robotics · Founder & CFO of akvola Technologies · MSc Telecommunications Engineering · ALMA Scuola di Cucina (2021-22)
Stefan Winter
Head of HoReCa Channel, CoCo Sapiens
Jordi Berruezo
Legal · Owner of Bufete Berruezo · Head of CoCo Sapiens legal affairs
Maite Felices
Creative direction & Communication · Founder of FELICES AGENCY
Transparency
As a non-profit association, we are clear about how we work, how we assess and how we are funded.
Methodology and impact study of practices
Our criteria are built from a 360° view: health, environment, ethics, biodiversity, animal welfare, circularity and social impact. We analyse production models and concrete practices — not just commercial claims — to understand documented impact on territory and people.
How a product is certified
The producer signs a commitment to the general standards and joins the association. Then each product is certified separately: it is measured with the CoCo Score, checked on the farm or at the port, and certified by an outside body. To be a CoCo Sapiens producer you need at least one certified product, and that guarantees the farm has been reviewed. This gives the buyer clear criteria and traceability they can understand.
Funding
We are funded by the fees of members and member producers, contributions from aligned projects and occasional collaborations that do not affect the independence of our criteria. We are a non-profit association: certification is not our business and everything we take in is reinvested in our work. The producer's fee depends on turnover and on the score of the farm audit: the better the score, the lower the fee. Paying it does not entitle anyone to certification, which is earned product by product.
Conflicts of interest
We declare and manage potential conflicts when a team member, consultant or collaborator has a commercial link with a member producer. In those cases, evaluation is referred to independent third parties and the procedure is documented.
Alliances
We collaborate with organisations that share the commitment to a fairer, healthier and more coherent food system.
Red Cross
Collaboration on social-impact initiatives and access to quality food.
EIT
Alliance focused on innovation and knowledge in the European food space.
Euro-Toques
European network of chefs committed to quality produce and territory.