Ethically traded coffee...
Many times we have been asked the question “are your coffees fair trade?”
Our answer is that our coffee beans are ethically traded as we have always felt that the quality of Fair Traded coffee has not been up to our standard required by our customers. However, we are always happy to soucre the best fair trade coffees on the market for individuals who would like some.
Why are Fair Trade coffees so poor in quality?
Well its a little like getting a minimum wage - you get it, you go down the pub and you don't care what really happens to the product - you know that you are guarenteed a price what ever the quality. Fair Trade guarentees them an OK price for their harvest before it is grown - so why spend the time looking after it.
Of course there are the farmers who are growing some great quality Fair Trade Coffees. These coffees come from smaller farms and are purchased for premium prices. The Fair Trade Market is improving rapidly. Many of the owners can see the benefits of joining the Fair Trade association, and are aware that quality ensures over the top premiums for a crop. Many of the farmers still can not afford to "buy into" the Fair Trade Association, an only have a small holding producing coffee, this is the coffee we like
A good price
The smaller farmer tends to look after his coffee plants with dedication, as he knows only too well that the quality of the bean is the tool that ensures the coffee farmer receive a premium price for his beans
What is Fair-Trade Coffee?
The fair-trade register is a list of producers and organizations that have been approved by the association. Any person wishing to trade in fair trade coffee must buy their products from a registered organization which consists of over half a million coffee growers. Fair-trade standards have created a frame work for these farmers that enable trade to take place within favourable conditions.
Fair-trade inspectors will regularly visit growers to monitor compliance is adhered to in return the farmer receives support to strengthen and grow their organization and a guarantee a fair price for his coffee.
The organisation also expects farmers to invest part of this money into their own economic and social community to ensure that there are sufficient health care, schools, housing etc, in their community.
Some of the standards that must be met by traders are:
- Producers and traders must pay decent wages
- Guarantee the right to join trade unions
Provide good housing where relevant - Minimum health, safety and environmental standards must be met
- No child labour can occur
- Payment to growers must cover the cost of sustainable production and living
- Pay premiums that producers can invest in development
- Advance payments when asked and sign contracts that allow for long term planning
Ethically Traded Coffee
This promotes workforce responsibility and indigenous biodiversity. In turn the company ensures that a fair and sustainable premium is paid to the producer to help them reinvest in the farms future. In this way the middlemen and premiums paid to the government are dismissed.
Quality is as important as ethical sourcing, and buying directly from the farms ensures that this quality is retained, as the farmer works to grow the best beans he can. The return of this incentive is a reward of a very fair premium paid to him directly, on top of the price that the coffee is sold for, (30p for every kilo) which empowers the farmer to sustain his quality of bean and quality of life.