Direct Trade!

The few readers of this blog will be the first to hear about the new direction Everyday Joe's will be heading. Since we have been open we have been proud to carry Fair Trade coffee. Well we have found something that is better than Fair Trade, it is called Direct Trade.

First let us talk a bit about Fair Trade. Here is what the Fair Trade web site says, " TransFair USA is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. It works with importers and manufacturers in this country to document business practices, providing a reliable consumer guarantee that indicates what coffees, teas and chocolates have been purchased from producers according to international Fair Trade criteria. These criteria are established by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), a consortium of Fair Trade groups in Japan, Canada, the US and 17 European countries. FLO makes annual inspection visits to producer groups on its Fair Trade Register to ensure that the benefits of Fair Trade relationships are reaching the farmers."

The basic idea is that the farmers get paid a fair price for their products and the buyer receives a high quality product. All this is done through a 3rd party between the seller and the buyer. You can read about until your heart's content at http://www.transfairusa.org/

Now we get to Direct Trade. With Direct Trade we take out the 3rd party and the transaction is between the grower and the roaster. This creates something that is better than Fair Trade. For example the price is set and paid to the farmer, not an exporter. And that price is at least 25% higher than fair trade prices.

The close relationship between the roaster and the grower holds the farmer even more accountable to healthy environmental practices and sustainable social practices.

The roaster visits with the farmer at least 3 times a year. Fair Trade on the other hand is only once a year. And with Direct Trade the roaster always visits at least once during harvest to insure quality. And all people involved in the trade must be open to transparent financial disclosure. So everyone knows what everyone is paying and being paid.

Everyday Joe's feels that Direct Trade is much better for everyone involved. And we will continue this discussion with our customers as we move in that direction. The bottom line is the coffee quality and taste will get better as well as the warm and fuzzy feeling we will have from knowing no one was exploited in the process.

Stay tuned. And as always feel free to ask questions.