A few weeks ago I asked here some searching questions regarding the standard for disclosure in Direct Trade. I will get back to that issue soon, but first it may be helpful to acknolwedge all the great work already done to establish and communicate clear standards for Direct Trade. This work has been driven by the pioneering “big three” Direct Trade roasters Counter Culture, Intelligentsia and Stumptown, but also includes the initiative of the Direct Trade Coffee Club to create common standards which all its members pledge to uphold. While subtle differences may remain, there seems to be real convergence around minimum standards for quality (high), prices (high) and transparency (total). Below, a summary of the specific commitments that leading Direct Trade roasters make in each of these areas, culled from their respective websites, with a few editorial comments of my own.
- Quality.
- Price.
- Transparency.
