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Simplifying the Supply Chain

Most coffee consumers see coffee as a ge-
neric commodity, but it is essential to our morn-
ing mood. This year coffee, which comes from
some of the most economically challenged coun-
tries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, is being
hit on all fronts, and hard. According to the In-
ternational Coffee Organization (ICO), the coffee
market remained relatively steady during the 2008
financial crisis, although consumers shifted to
in-home consumption and purchased more af-
fordable coffee. In a recent report, the ICO warns
that none of the previous financial crises compare
in terms of depth and breadth of COVID19, and
their analysis warns of an almost 1:1 relationship
between global GDP and coffee consumption.
Here as what could help, direct trade comes
to mind. Direct trade, albeit a fuzzy concept, is
generally regarded as a positive and socially re-
sponsible practice in today’s coffee industry.
Buying directly cuts out the middleman—coyotes
and cooperatives alike—so more money stays with
the farmers. But what about another trend: Large
transnational roasters that set up branch offices

to buy directly from smallholders, eliminating
the middleman buyer yet paying the same low
price. This is as direct as trade gets, yet it brings
up some serious concerns surrounding justice
and sustainability.
Being a coffee nerd, Lewis decided to quit
his job in finance and start a business, It had to
be in coffee this time. “I originally wanted to
operate with roasted coffee and to be more unique,
Over 70% of Coffee I wanted to source my own coffee from around
the world. I spent several years travelling in
Exchange's registers Rwanda, Ecuador, Peru and several other coun-
tries developing relationships to be able to import
buyers repurchase their coffees into China. I also built relationships
with a lot of Chinese roasters who were all inter-
from existing ested in getting unique coffees direct from
source.” It was at this time that he realised it was
producers. time someone built a B2B marketplace for the
green coffee trade.

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