In the early 90's, CoDevelopment Canada (CoDev), the non-profit that owns Café Etico, was working with a rural community on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua on a project to improve access to water. At the time many community members were part a co-operative of small-scale coffee farmers called Finca Magdalena. Although coffee prices in the world market were not abysmal, the cooperative did not sell their coffee directly to importers but rather to middle men which vastly reduced the price they received. Finca Magdalena also had a fairly large bank loan that was eating up farmers' meagre profits from coffee harvests, and coupled with high interest rates, the co-operative got caught in a vicious cycle were debt was growing rather than shrinking.  

Seeking a long-term solution, Finca Magdalena members told CoDev and other Canadian grassroots partners that something they really needed was finding ways to get better prices for coffee. This led to Canadian organizations to sit down with co-operative representatives to reach consensus in formulating a price for coffee that would reflect the immense amount of labour and expertise that goes into organic coffee production and that would afford farmers and their families a dignified standard of living. Soon, CoDev and their partner organizations were buying 100% of the co-operative's coffee.  

Within two years Finca Magdalena had paid 100% of it's bank loan and could begin operating free and clear of debt, finally beginning to invest in their co-operative, members, and communities. Today, the co-operative is a thriving organization which, in addition to farming coffee, also successfully operates a hostel, currently attracting thousands of visitors who also learn about coffee and organic agriculture. 

Demand soon outgrew supply, and Café Etico began purchasing coffee from other farmer co-operatives in Northern Nicaragua, expanding our long-term network of partnerships from which we continue to purchase today. 

Why fair trade?

Café Etico is proud to be one of Vancouver's first fairly traded coffee importers. We have consistently paid a higher price that international fair trade minimums, and today have a commitment to pay at least 20% more than the established fair trade base price. 

Café Etico believes in doing responsible, socially-just, and environmentally friendly business. With millions of people's lives worldwide depending on coffee trade, we are aware that paying a fair price to coffee makers is central in making a significant and direct positive impact on the lives of farmers and their families. 

At Café Etico, we believe that farmers deserve a fair price for the enormous amount of labour and expertise they put into growing top quality coffee for us to enjoy. We are dedicated to creating direct, long-term relationships with coffee producers based on respect, fairness and equality. 

In conventional trade, coffee prices fluctuate wildly not just from year to year, but from month to month and day to day, making it difficult for farmers to predict what their harvest will be worth. What's more, coffee is generally a yearly harvest, and farmers often have to take out loans at the beginning of the year to invest in their crops and to pay for day-to-day living expenses. If coffee prices fall drastically, as they have often done, a farmer can lose everything paying off their loans, including their land. 

With fair trade, farmers are guaranteed a minimum price that will never fall below an established base. Farmers are entitled to deposits on their coffee at the time importers place their order, meaning they are less reliant on loans. Thanks to the stability of fair trade prices, farmers and their families are able to plan, invest and improve their standard of living. 

Why direct trade?

While fair trade is important, direct trade is just as essential to ensuring that farmers get a fair deal. 

Most small-scale coffee farmers don't have access to the overseas market. Instead, they sell to middlemen, often called 'coyotes' in Latin America, who in turn sell to exporters, who in turn sell to importers, who sell to roasters, who sell to grocery stores, who sell to us. By the time everyone has taken their piece of the profit, there's very little left for the actual coffee farmer. Even if the world market prices is reasonably high, small-scale farmers only get a fraction of that price. 

By purchasing directly from farmer associations, direct trade ensures that farmers get the highest revenue possible for their beans. Café Etico buys coffee directly from the Pancasán Association of Organic Coffee Farmers (ACOPAN) in Nicaragua, and from the Campesino Committee of the Highlands in Guatemala.