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RealTrade Certificate
Coffee Real’s own RealTrade Certificate represents for many an improvement on labels such as Fair Trade.
Labels such as Fair Trade may persuade consumers to part with extra cash for their coffee, but offer no pledge regarding flavour or quality. Coffee Real however, view ecologically sound agriculture and prices above the Fair Trade premiums both as sound business practice and moreover a route to provide wonderful tasting coffee.
The distinction between Fair Trade and RealTrade is that like any other direct trade programme where roasters pay a premium price above Fair Trade for high quality specialty coffee. Whereas Fair Trade certification only assures that farmers will receive a ‘minimum’ price, any margin above the minimum cannot be guaranteed by Fair Trade organisations as they do not negotiate margins, whereas ethically driven roasters and importers such as Coffee Real do.
So what does our RealTrade Certificate actually mean?
Our RealTrade programme seeks out the finest quality coffee that provides the highest level of appreciation at both ends of the supply chain – at one end are our Customers who gain awe-inspiring coffee and at the other end are the farmers who gain a premium above the guaranteed Fair Trade minimum - for coffees that meet an agreed upon standard.
For a Farmer to qualify for this premium they must satisfy and stick firmly to ecological, agricultural and social best practice which covers:
- Improvement and maintenance of soil fertility through composting and other natural methods such as application of animal or “green” manures.
- The use of ecological methods to control disease, fungi, insects, weeds and other pests rather than the use of chemical pesticides.
- Provide much needed refuge for birds and other wildlife within the plantation.
- The propagating of native trees to protect plant diversity.
- The maintenance of forested areas to minimize soil erosion.
- Provide economic security in rural regions by offering jobs at labour-intensive times such as harvest and demonstrate continued investment to sustainable community development.
- Minimize pollution from coffee processing wastewater by reducing water use, recirculation of water whenever possible, and employing anaerobic digestion systems to clean water after use.
- For organically grow crops Farmers must follow stringent organic standards in order to meet organic certification requirements.
