Trust is not something a company can ask for. It has to be earned through clear action, honest communication, and consistent follow-through.
Recently, we learned that some coffee beans connected to our supply chain were not purchased directly from fair trade farmer partners as our customers, employees, and suppliers were led to believe. That is not acceptable. Our company built its identity around social responsibility, ethical coffee sourcing, and respect for the global coffee community. When any part of that promise is broken, we have to name the problem clearly and correct it publicly.
We are taking responsibility for the sourcing failure and putting a transparent coffee supply chain plan in place. This plan is designed to protect farmer partnerships, restore customer trust, support employees, and make supplier accountability visible going forward.
What We Are Changing Now
- We are conducting an independent fair trade supplier review across all coffee sourcing relationships.
- We are pausing new purchasing from suppliers that cannot verify ethical coffee sourcing standards.
- We are increasing direct communication with coffee farmer partnerships and cooperative representatives.
- We are creating a public coffee transparency report so customers can see our progress.
- We are opening a dedicated employee communication channel to stop confusion and answer questions about the sourcing review.
Why Fair-Trade Coffee Matters
Fair trade coffee is bigger than a product label. It is a promise that the people behind the coffee are treated with dignity and that sourcing decisions are not hidden from customers. Organizations such as Fairtrade International and Fair-Trade Certified show why sourcing standards matter for farmer communities, environmental responsibility, and transparent supply chains.
For our company, this means the next step is not simply saying we support fair trade. We have to show how our coffee is sourced, who verifies the process, and how customers can follow the results over time.
We also know that employees need direct answers. Rumors about immediate or ongoing layoffs have created fear inside the company. At this time, the sourcing review is focused on correcting supplier practices, improving internal oversight, and strengthening accountability. Employees will receive updates through internal communication channels as the review continues.
The goal is simple: every cup of coffee should be connected to a supply chain that customers can understand and employees can stand behind.
How Customers Can Follow Our Progress
- A public supply chain update will be posted each month.
- A supplier accountability summary will be added to our website.
- Future coffee sourcing updates will include clear language about fair trade, direct trade, and verified supplier relationships.
- Customer questions will be answered through our website, blog, and social media channels.
Our responsibility is to make ethical sourcing easier to see, not harder to understand. We are committed to rebuilding trust through fair trade coffee practices, transparent coffee supply chain monitoring, and stronger accountability at every level of the company.