FairChain = awesome coffee. Don’t believe us? Fine, then while you’re at it, here’s another thing you shouldn’t do: take our word for it. Instead, take that of renowned broadcaster, researcher and columnist, Jesse Hirsch. He’s got some very, well let’s just say surprising, things to say about what direct trade what does for you.
In a nutshell, it’s fair to say that Jesse doesn’t mess around when it comes to finding good coffee. By all accounts, he’s the kind of guy you would have valiantly trudged off with into the cold dark night right before your final exams during college in search of that perfect 3am triple espresso. And most intriguing of all- this man’s search for perfection has in fact led him away from fair trade coffee, and into the warm friendly embrace of direct trade.
What’s the connection you ask? Simple. When farmers are given an incentive ) to produce good coffee then, guess what? They do! But this financial incentive only comes from the higher prices paid by coffee roasters who know and love good coffee. In fact, this is why they are willing to make the voyage to get on over to those distant coffee fields where all the magic happens. And when these devotees get there, they become best friends with their favourite coffee farmers, sharing, laughing and (unadmittedly) crying together as they recall fond childhood memories. Then together these this team of two work on producing the best coffee beans on earth. When this feat is finally achieved, they sell their little princesses to other coffee devotees for a well-deserved premium price –and this is then split –fairly. So that is why direct trade really is fair trade –or should that be fair-est trade..?
Link: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/fair-trade-coffee-20/Content?oid=3024978
