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"Direct trade" is one of those phrases you'll hear everywhere in specialty coffee. Sometimes it means something real. Sometimes it's just a label.
At its best, direct trade is about direct relationships between buyers and producers, with prices and support tied to quality and long-term trust. The tricky part: there's no single global standard for what counts.
Think of it as a sourcing approach where the roaster/buyer builds a direct relationship with the farmer, cooperative, or processor. Many direct-trade programs emphasize higher premiums, clearer quality expectations, and more information sharing.
The part we like most is the accountability: if you use the term, you should be able to explain your prices, your quality goals, and what "direct" really means in your chain.
"Working directly with exporters who understand quality has transformed our community. Now we can afford to invest in better processing methods and send our children to school." - Abebe Bekele, Lead Farmer, Konga Cooperative
Because direct trade isn't a certified standard, critics often point out a real risk: big brands can market the term without showing evidence. The fix is simple (but not always easy): publish more. Transparency reports, pricing ranges, who you buy from anything that lets a customer verify you're doing what you say.
Our direct trade approach supports them by:
This isn't charity. It's respect in action.
When it's done well, direct trade can create room for better wages and better processing, and it can make quality improvements feel worth the effort. But it only works if the relationship is real and the numbers aren't hidden.
At Ethiocoffee, we believe in brewing better futures one handshake, one harvest, one container at a time. Our direct trade model is proof that commerce and compassion can thrive side by side.
Direct trade is especially powerful when it reaches the women who do the majority of the work. From selective harvesting to sorting and drying, women perform an estimated 60 to 70 percent of the labor in Ethiopian coffee. Read more about the role of women in Ethiopian coffee and why supporting them is both a moral and commercial imperative.
Direct trade is a sourcing approach where the roaster or buyer builds a direct relationship with the farmer, cooperative, or processor. It typically involves higher premiums, clearer quality expectations, and greater transparency compared to conventional sourcing channels.
No. Unlike Fair Trade or Organic, direct trade is not a certified standard with a governing body. This means anyone can use the term, which is why transparency, published pricing, and verifiable relationships are important indicators of genuine direct trade practices.
When done properly, direct trade pays specialty prices that reflect quality, offers long-term contracts for financial stability, encourages sustainable farming methods, and funds training and equipment improvements at the community level.
Look for transparency reports, published pricing ranges, named producer partnerships, and evidence of ongoing relationships. A genuine direct trade supplier should be able to explain exactly who they buy from, what they pay, and how their practices benefit producers.
At Ethio Coffee Export PLC, we practice genuine direct trade—building long-term partnerships with Ethiopian farmers and cooperatives, paying fair specialty prices, and providing full traceability for every lot we export.
About This Insight: This article examines direct trade in Ethiopian coffee—what it means, how it supports farmers, how to verify genuine practices, and why transparency matters for the specialty coffee supply chain.
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