Local Community

We maybe a small company, but we are grown up enough to realise that our business affects communities at both ends of the coffee bean supply chain.

This is why from year dot our commercial strategy has always been entwined with our ethical and sustainable practice.

Overseas Communities
You may have noticed that we do not sell Fair Trade coffee, but promote - where we can - our own RealTrade Certificated coffee.

Read more about our RealTrade Certificate and how this compares to Fair Trade.

We have always had an issue with certifications – such as Fair Trade – its because we are unable to follow the extra money paid for coffee and to see (touch and feel) the impact / ensure that money is being used properly or where ‘we’ would like it to be used.

We do not totally disagree with certifications such as FairTrade; we just feel that there are better ways to impact the communities we specifically want to work with in the coffee growing regions. Through going to these farms, and paying extra funds for the coffee, we impact those farmers, employees and families directly and immediately.

We (and our customers) can ensure that the farmer’s employees are cared for and they are following correct environmental practices. We want to see the owner of a farm is doing all they can to aid the community within and around the farm.

We what to see that there is health care for the workers, that there is sufficient food and shelter is provided for the employee’s. Employees will need to be paid well for what they do, and that the workers’ families are also taken into consideration. We audit these elements directly or through a shipper and/or importer that has the same philosophy as Coffee Real.

For example – it’s quite common for woman farm workers to bring their children to work, so it is extremely important that they are never exploited, and that they have the proper care needed at the farm and access to the right education.

We will only buy the very best green coffee and this only comes from farmers who are passionate about growing coffee and wish to produce the very best coffee. We then agree to pay premiums for this quality either directly or through an importer.

UK Communities
Coffee Real promotes learning inside and outside the classroom by visits from schools to our roastery or Coffee Real takes the roastery to schools.

Depending on school year this may focus on:

• from farm to cup - the journey made in the production of coffee.
  
• the impact on the natural landscape of coffee farming operations.
  
• the people and the diversity of roles - from farmer, to picker, miller and roaster.
  
• technology used in production.
  
• farming methods, perhaps comparing organic with conventional coffee farming.
  
• geography of coffee growing and related map work.

Coffee Real offer preview visits to allow teachers and leaders to plan and prepare for their group. It is also a good opportunity to discuss any detailed requirements face to face, such as handouts and even lesson plans for pre and post-visit work.