INTRODUCTION

Bean There Coffee Company is the beginning of a dream realised; the dream to directly source African coffee, build relationships with the producers, expertly roast this coffee, and bring top quality coffee to the people of South Africa while making a significant difference in people's lives. The owner of this dream is Jonathan Robinson, the founder and father of Bean There Coffee Company.

Fair trade is essentially about respect in relationships. If all those involved in a transaction are respectful of the other person and product, fair trade should occur. Sadly, today's free trade market has bred disrespect and exploitation, generally between the south adn the industrialised north with the south coming off second best. 

This is what fair trade addresses; this inequality and abuse in business. Fair trade seeks to equalise these relationships through dialogue, transparency, and respect. The Fairtrade Label or certification exists to develop trading standards and ensure compliance and accountability throughout the supply chain.

Established in 2005 and the first and only roaster of Certified Fairtrade coffee in South Africa, Bean There is serious about establishing the practises of trading fairly, directly, and transparently in all areas of business. For Bean There, fair trade is not about special treatment but rather fair treatment, and it extends beyond farmers and producers to the staff of Bean There, their suppliers, and their customers.

COMMITMENT TO FAIR TRADE
Bean There is committed to personally sourcing fair trade, organic African coffee and currently purchases coffee from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. Coffee produced and roasted in Africa mean a low carbon footprint and minimal environmental impact.

Bean There's coffee selection is based foremost on quality; Bean There purchases from the top 2% of coffee produced worldwide. Bean There believes that fair trade purchases should never be motivated by sympathy or guilt but rather a desire to enjoy a high quality product. Africa is the birthplace of coffee and produces some of the world's finest beans; Bean There wants South Africans to not only enjoy African coffee but love it!

Bean There Coffee Company take fair trade one step further through the implementation of "direct fair trade" which involves personally and regularly visiting their coffee farmers. The best what to know and understand where coffee comes from, how it is produced, and how it is traded, is to be emerged in the process from crop to cup. Bean There is committed to long-term relationships with the farmers and cooperatives who produce their coffee. Fair trade is not just a label, certification, or marketing tool; it is a relationship, and Bean There believes that direct fair trade is the best way to build this relationship.

Each cooperative (a collection of small-scale coffee farmers) uses its fair trade premiums as needed and as democratically determined by the cooperative. Bean There's Ethiopian Sidamo coffee is produced by the Fero Cooperative. There are over 3100 members representing a total population of over 27,300 people. Fair trade premiums are paid directly to the farmers and also used for capacity building and training.

BENEFIT OF FAIRTRADE
In Rwanda, Bean There purchases from Coopac, located in the town of Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. Coopac consists of 2200 members; coffee farmers living and growing coffee in the green hills of this small central African country. Coopac has used their fair trade premiums to build modern and efficient coffee processing facilities. This has resulted in a significant increase in quality and therefore price fetched per pound. Their fair trade premiums have also been used to build additional classrooms at the local school.

Bean There's Kenyan Nyeri coffee is grown on the slopes of Mount Kenya near the town of Karatina. The cooperative is Ruthagati and is UTZ Certified. These hard-working coffee farmers have received important agricultural training which has increased the quantity and quality of their beans. Agnus, a member of the Ruthagati Cooperative and supplier to Bean There, has experienced a threefold increase in the quantity of beans produced per tree. Her life, and those of her two children, significantly improved.

The Hope Project supplies Bean There's Tanzanian Mbeya coffee. In the coffee community of 3812 families, 23 coffee washing and drying stations have been built, again improving the quality of bean produced. The Hope Project encourages farmers to bring their beans to the washing stations when at their most ripe thereby improving the quality. If, at the end of the season, the average sales prices was greater than that originally paid, the farmers receive a second payment. This is fair trade!

Bean there Coffee Company is excited to lead the way in fair trade coffee in South Africa. In its five years, there has been significant growth in recognition and understanding of fair trade practises. Ultimately, trade accountability and transparency is the responsibility of the final consumer. Consumers need to ask where their coffee is grown, how it is grown, and how it is traded. These questions need to be answered and confirmed for trade to really be fair.

Bean There Coffee Company
Situated in Johannesburg
info@beanthere.co.za
www.beanthere.co.za

Story and photographs submitted by Sarah Robinson

October 2010