Cafedirect is the UK's largest Fairtrade hot drinks company. They buy from 40 producer organisations in 14 countries, ensuring that over a quarter of a million growers receive a decent income from trade.

The collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in 1989 sent market prices plunging, putting the lives of millions of smallholder farmers around the world in jeopardy.

In response, three coffee growing communities - in Peru, Costa Rica and Mexico - each shipped a single container of coffee, loaned on trust, to the UK. The beans were roasted and sold through church halls, charity shops and at local events.

Cafedirect was born.

Since then they have been pioneers in ethical business - they began trading three years before the Fairtrade Foundation mark was first used in the UK and they were the first coffee brand to carry the mark.

In 2004, they successfully executed the UK's biggest ethical public share issue to become a publicly listed company, raising £5 million from 4,500 investors. The opportunity enabled our grower partners, consumers, employees and founders to own a share in the company and to be directly connected to each other.

Today they work with 40 grower organisations across 14 developing countries, encompassing 282,931 farmers and directly improving the lives of more than 1.6 million people.

Cafédirect is the innovative result of Oxfam, Equal Exchange, Traidcraft, and Twin Trading decision to bypass the conventional market and buy coffee direct from disadvantaged growers in developing countries. Since 2006 alone they have invested more than £3 million of their profits directly into the businesses and communities of their growers, and paid more than £7.5 million over and above market prices for their raw materials.

Pioneering grower initiatives and consumer engagements for more than 19 years, Cafédirect has developed and works to its own Gold Standard, consistently setting the bar for ethical business leadership. In a report issued by Millward Brown in 2007, UK consumers voted them the most recommended brand in the nation in a survey of 2,000 companies.

Cafedirect grower organisations include Michimikuru (Africa), Igara Growers Tea Factory Ltd. (Africa), Kayonza Growers Tea Factory Ltd. (Africa), PRODECOOP (Nicaragua), Cocla (Peru) and Mas Cafe (Mexico).

Cafedirect are now one of the sponsors of the thought-provoking documentary Black Gold. At a time when everyone is more conscious about ethical and environmental issues, Black Gold opens your eyes to the coffee trade and guarantees you'll never look at your latté or cappuccino in the same way again.

Created by British film-makers, Nick and Marc Francis, Black Gold is a film that follows the journey of Tadesse Meskela, General Manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Co. in Ethiopia, as he travels around the world to find buyers willing to pay a fair price for his coffee.

Cafedirect are proud to be working with farmers who have the expertise to provide the exceptional quality they require. This ensures that you enjoy the finest selection of coffees, teas and chocolate drinks.

publicly listed company, raising £5 million from 4,500 investors. The opportunity enabled our grower partners, consumers, employees and founders to own a share in the company and to be directly connected to each other.

Today wthey work with 39 grower organisations across 13 developing countries, encompassing over 260, 000 farmers and directly improving the lives of more than 1.4 million people.

Cafédirect is the innovative result of Oxfam, Equal Exchange, Traidcraft, and Twin Trading's decision to bypass the conventional market and buy coffee direct from disadvantaged growers in developing countries. Since 2000 alone they have invested more than £3.3 million of their profits directly into the businesses and communities of their growers, and paid more than £13 million over and above market prices for their raw materials.

Pioneering grower initiatives and consumer engagements for more than 17 years, Cafédirect has developed and works to its own Gold Standard, consistently setting the bar for ethical business leadership. In a report issued by Millward Brown in 2007, UK consumers voted them the most recommended brand in the nation in a survey of 2,000 companies.

Cafedirect grower organisations include Gumutindo (Africa), Igara Growers Tea Factory Ltd. (Africa), Kayonza Growers Tea Factory Ltd. (Africa), PRODECOOP (Nicaragua), Crocla (Peru) and Chirinos (Peru).

Cafedirect are now one of the sponsors of the thought-provoking documentary Black Gold. At a time when everyone is more conscious about ethical and environmental issues, Black Gold opens your eyes to the coffee trade and guarantees you'll never look at your latté or cappuccino in the same way again.

Created by British film-makers, Nick and Marc Francis, Black Gold is a film that follows the journey of Tadesse Meskela, General Manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Co. in Ethiopia, as he travels around the world to find buyers willing to pay a fair price for his coffee.

Cafedirect are proud to be working with farmers who have the expertise to provide the exceptional quality they require. This ensures that you enjoy the finest selection of coffees, teas and chocolate drinks.