The Direct Trade Pledge
This is the direct trade pledge that all our roasters adhere to:
Quality
I will only offer coffee to Direct Trade Coffee Club members that consistently scores 85 points or above in the SCAA/CQI scale.
Communication
I communicate regularly with the farmers I purchase coffee from. Communication will be in the form of in-person visits, phone calls or emails (direct or through a translator)
I will visit the farmers and regions from which I purchase coffee at least once per year. These trips will be done by the coffee buyer or roaster as appropriate.
Transparency
I will regularly publish a comparison between the prices I pay to farmers and the published ‘Fair Trade’ price.
I will provide the farmer with the best possible price.
Sustainability
I will endeavor to provide the best market price possible to the farmer.
I will participate in farmer education programs offered by the Direct Trade Coffee Club or perform my own education programs to help the farmers continue to provide quality green coffee beans.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi there,
I'm already purchasing coffee directly from farmers in Uganda. I would like to use the term "Direct Trade" on my coffee bags.
What do I need to do/know?
Thanks,
Jake.
Hello Jake – thanks for the comment. We are working with a group of roasters now to establish a common definition for the term ‘Direct Trade’. There is no certification or requirements for you to use the term though. We view it more as a best practice than a certification.
We will releasing a survey in the near future to gather input on how roasters define ‘Direct Trade’.
Once we have a definition that our roasters agree to, we will publish it to the site, twitter and facebook. I see you subscribed to our mailing list so you will definitely be in the loop.