The social and environmental mission of our business is the driving force behind our business practices. We buy only fair trade, organically grown coffees, which we source from farmer owned cooperatives throughout the world. We strive to create relationships with our coffee growing communities through long term buying commitments, communication, farm visits, and bringing our producers to us.  These relationships also allow us to ensure the farmers are receiving a fair wage and that they have the ability to provide the finest, most premium cup quality. We are a members of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF),  an association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide. Fair Trade is not a premium brand label, but a different approach to our entire concept of trade.

Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the terrible human and ecological toll of the “coffee crisis”, and are starting to ask their coffee suppliers what’s behind their cup.  In response, many companies have signed on to carry fair trade coffees, which guarantee the farmer a livable price.  Unfortunately, many other companies are rushing to slather their “business-as-usual” behavior with claims of friendly treatment to farmers, fair pricing, charitable donations, and a host of other “tradewashing” techniques.  While any help to struggling farmers is great, intermittent “good works” or merely offering one or two fair trade coffees smacks more of marketing rather than a serious ethical commitment.  The plain truth is, from an ethical and long-term business perspective there is no substitute for across-the-board fair pricing and respectful relationships.

As a member of Cooperative Coffees, a green bean buying collective comprised of fair trade roaster/members, we are committed to working in partnership with our associated coffee producer cooperatives in order to create more equitable trade mechanisms. We strive to promote fair trade and sustainable development alternatives in both the North and the South, while continuing to sell the highest quality coffee on the market.