Great Coffee is Also Good
Cafe Contact’s coffee partner Mahalia Coffee strives every day to make the best coffee possible. A big part of what makes a great cup of coffee is actually intangible; it is the good feeling you get from knowing that the cup you just enjoyed didn’t come at the expense of another’s freedom or wellbeing. There is no one solution to the many complex issues of ethics in coffee and trade, but a coming together of many likeminded organisations who seek to solve pieces of the puzzle. For this reason, Mahalia doesn’t favour one doctrine, but participate in many.
Mahalia’s focus is to find the best quality beans, having perfect flavour combine with the best ethical outcome.
To achieve this, we join Mahalia in supporting the work of Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance. They favour organic products, and toxin free processes, such as the Swiss Water method of decaffeination. Finally, Mahalia Coffee also actively supports coffee growers through their participation in the Kiva Microfinancing Project.
Fairtrade seeks to end the exploitation of people in developing nations by demanding a fair market price for the goods bought, and also that the producers get their fair share of this price. Mahalia Coffee is a registered Fairtrade partner and sells many products carrying the certification – which requires that the coffee is made from 100% Fairtrade beans. They also include a proportion of Fairtrade beans in many of our other products. As part of their Fairtrade certification, Mahalia gives back to the organisation 2% of the sale proceeds of all Fairtrade beans sold.
The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. Mahalia uses Rainforest Alliance certified beans in many of their coffee blends, and we at Cafe Contact join them in applauding the work that RA does to conserve the world’s most precious resources.
