Fairtrade Foundation
The very smallest coffee producers have traditionally been at the mercy of the commercial coffee sector and the price fluctuations of the coffee market in general and this is where Fairtrade comes in. Whether having no choice but to sell to middlemen who offer little for the coffee, or watching the market price of coffee plummet below the cost of production, this takes away the choice for farmers who are trying to make a little income for their families out of one of the few genuine cash crops.
Fairtrade has done a lot of work to grant more power to smallholder farmers working together in cooperatives to ensure that they are receiving a better price for their coffee and directly accessing the marketplace. It has also drawn attention to the traditional injustices in the coffee trade and third world trade relations in general.
Our Grumpy Mule Fairtrade coffees (the ones carrying the Fairtrade Mark) are all about giving our customers a choice in the coffee you buy. Whilst we won’t offer any Fairtrade certified coffee that we do not genuinely feel meets the levels of coffee quality we expect, you as a customer have the choice of buying a coffee that has been sourced from smallholder farmers who have received a guaranteed minimum price for their coffee and a social premium for community investment. The Fairtrade Mark on the pack is a clear indication that the coffee has been sourced this way and all of our Fairtrade certified coffees are also organic.
Since many of these farmers grow these coffees organically anyhow and are certified as such (fertilizers only add to the cost of production for smallholder producers), we ensure that we buy them as both Fairtrade and organically certified.
See our range of Fairtrade certified coffees
It’s a common misconception that if a pack of coffee does not carry the Fairtrade logo then your conscience shouldn’t allow you to buy it… There are a number of Grumpy Mule coffees that are not Fairtrade certified but that doesn’t mean that we’ve short changed farmers along the way. We believe in always paying a fair price for great coffee, regardless of the method we use to buy the coffee.
There are many family farms out there who’ve spent a lifetime focusing on producing the very best coffee in the knowledge that the speciality coffee market, including coffee roasters like us, will pay premium prices for the pick of their crop. These farmers do not need the Fairtrade system, nor is the Fairtrade system looking to support these types of farmers. There is nothing at all wrong with drinking the great coffees from these producers, particularly as there are countless families in the coffee growing regions who rely upon these farms and estates for work and income.
About the Fairtrade Foundation and Fairtrade certified coffees
“By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
Producer organisations receive a guaranteed minimum price that covers the costs of sustainable production plus an additional premium to invest in health, education, infrastructure, and other community development projects. On plantations, elected workers manage the premium fund with support from management. They receive training in finance and administration to build their capacity to deal with these responsibilities and are further empowered through the acquisition of skills in leadership and communication, and project planning and management.
The Fairtrade Mark is an independent stamp of approval. Buying Fairtrade certified products changes the lives of millions of people worldwide and shows how trade can be made to work in favour of poorer people and the environment. When you buy a product carrying the Fairtrade Mark, you know it has been certified to meet the international Fairtrade Standards set by Fairtrade Labelling Organisation International (FLO).They check to make sure producers really are getting a better deal.”
Our local Fairtrade supporters are the Holme Valley Fairtrade Group, ensuring Fairtrade town status for Holmfirth and the Holme Valley and they host numerous events and meetings throughout the year.
Please see www.fairtrade.org.uk for full details of what Fairtrade means and what the Fairtrade Foundation achieves.
