Cafédirect sells a variety of high quality coffee, tea and hot chocolate from 14 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, all certified by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation.
Beyond simply selling all of their fair trade certified goods, Cafédirect focuses on the social and economic impact that they have on the lives that they change through their social and sustainable business. Everything that they do is based out of the "Gold Standard," which is a number of principles and values that the company commits to. First, Cafédirect ensures that the focus is on the rights and the current and future interests of the growers by offering higher prices, community development and technical assistance. Second, Cafédirect promotes environmentally sustainable production and consumption. Third, Cafédirect wants to be known as an important ethical business in the United Kingdom and to spread positive change through its mission and practice.
Founded in 1992, Cafédirect plays a big role in coffee industry and the fair trade movement. The creation of the company began as a reaction to the collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in 1989, which proved how unstable coffee was and how it could put so many small-scale farmers at risk.
The majority of major retailers in the U.K. sell Cafédirect’s various goods. Cafédirect products are also available in independent retailers, whole food stores, Traidcraft mail order, Oxfam shops and through the company’s website. What’s more, in 2006, a Cafédirect coffee shop opened in London with the help of its partner Scolarest.
Cafédirect is not without its fans and followers. The Ethical Company Organisation ranked Cafédirect as the number one ethical tea and coffee brand in the Good Shopping Guide. And in 2009, Triodos Bank awarded Cafédirect with the Ethical Business of the Year Award.
Contact Information:
Cafédirect Website
Unit F, Zetland House
5-25 Scrutton Street
London
EC2A 4HJ
Telephone: +44 (0)207 033 6000
Fax: +44 (0)207 033 6001
Smallholder Coffee Farmers
Cafedirect Builds Communities Through Social Business
Trend Themes
1. Fair Trade Movement - The growing popularity of fair trade products presents disruptive innovation opportunities for businesses to adopt fair trade practices and tap into the ethical consumer market.
2. Social and Sustainable Business - The focus on social and sustainable business models opens up disruptive innovation opportunities for companies to create products and services that have a positive impact on communities and the environment.
3. Ethical Tea and Coffee Brands - The rise of ethical tea and coffee brands provides disruptive innovation opportunities for businesses to differentiate themselves by offering ethically sourced and sustainable products.
Industry Implications
1. Coffee Industry - The coffee industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by promoting sustainability, supporting fair trade practices, and investing in the social and economic development of smallholder coffee farmers.
2. Retail Industry - The retail industry can capitalize on disruptive innovation opportunities by incorporating more fair trade products into their offerings and catering to the growing demand for ethically sourced goods.
3. Food and Beverage Industry - The food and beverage industry can seize disruptive innovation opportunities by focusing on social and sustainable business practices, sourcing ingredients from fair trade certified suppliers, and supporting the well-being of local communities.