Direct Trading Relationships
Globally supporting the coffee farmers community and their commerce
WHAT IS DIRECT TRADing?
Direct trading is a process in which roasters buy coffee from farmers without the help of intermediaries.
Also known as “relationship coffee”, it is typically based on interpersonal connections, mutual trust, price transparency, and a commitment to quality improvement beyond a single harvest.
Unlike fair trade, direct trading is not regulated by a set of standards put in place by organizations like Fairtrade International. Instead, it relies on agreements made between the roaster and farmers, who decide on everything from price to delivery times.
what do we achieve?
One of the central goals of direct trade is to create a more level playing field. Farmers often receive a relatively small percentage of profits when their coffee passes through many hands before it reaches the consumer.
This can make it difficult for farmers to elevate themselves from their positions, let alone improve their operations – despite specialty coffee’s relatively high market price compared to commodity coffee.
