It's about ‘trade, not aid’. Receiving sustainable prices for coffee lets farmers build viable livelihoods and have control over investments and development in their communities.
Ever since Jeremy and Steven first visited producers in Guatemala, back in 2001, they realised that we had to go further than just subsidies. We focus on the quality of coffee, not quantity. Seeking a living wage for workers, not just a minimum wage. It’s a better deal for everyone, and better beans for us. It’s the only way to do coffee. This is true sustainable development.
1. You can find out exactly where, how and by whom your coffee is produced.
2. The farmer receives a fair, sustainable price. Always covering the cost of production, in 2019 on average 35% above minimum Fairtrade price and 69% above the world market price.
3. Your coffee comes from farmers committed to sustainable agricultural practices and labour rights.
4. You get access to unique coffees. Through our direct sourcing and long-term relationships, we can discover exclusive, hard-to-find gems.
5. You are guaranteed to drink a delicious cup of 100 per cent Arabica, speciality coffee.
Extending Our Commitment to making a positive Impact.
At Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, we believe that coffee should not only be a memorable experience but also a force for positive change. Building on the success of our award-winning sourcing initiative, Union Direct Trade, we're thrilled to introduce the Union Direct Trade Fund—an exciting extension of our commitment to quality, sustainability, and the well-being of everyone involved in our coffee journey.
"For us direct trade is more than going to origin and selecting the best tasting coffee.
Union Direct Trade is our sustainable approach to developing long-term relationships with farmers and supporting them to produce the best-tasting coffees."
STEVEN MACATONIA
Coffee is grown in the ‘bean belt’ between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
Over 11,600 families from co-operatives we work with benefit from Union Direct Trade. With each family having an average of 5 family members, we calculate that over 58,000 individuals benefit from our purchasing model.
In addition, we also source from small and medium-sized farms, producers’ organisations and estates. This extends to over 1500 families, which represents a further 7500 individuals. That makes over 65,000 individuals in all.
These families have been able to feed their children, send them to school and invest in their livelihoods. So our total indirect impact exceeds this number significantly.
Climate change is coffee’s biggest long-term threat. Rising temperatures, increasing weather volatility, increased prevalence of pests, and disease associated with climate change all contribute to lower yields and lower quality, with a damaging effect on farmers' livelihoods. Prolonged drought, when combined with poverty, forces farmers out of coffee production and contributes to human migration
Without action the global area suitable for coffee production is predicted to decline by 50 per cent by 2050, and yet demand is expected to double (World Coffee Research 2017).UNION DIRECT TRADE WAS DEVELOPED TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES, CONTINUE READING