Key Words: Fair Trade USA, coffee, Witches Brew Coffee, Fair Trade Certified

Witches Brew Coffee recently announced a partnership with Fair Trade USA. As part of this partnership, Witches Brew brought Fair Trade USA representatives to their local coffee retailers to educate the community on the importance of Fair Trade, as well as the Fair Trade certification process. This event was open to the public, so baristas and customers alike could see exactly what goes into the Fair Trade coffee that they sell at their coffee shops.

“You hear the term Fair Trade thrown out all the time and assume it’s something that just happens, so it was really cool to have someone take us through the process step by step. It gives you insight into the impact that buying Fair Trade certified products has on farmers. I didn’t realize how large the impact of Fair Trade was,” said local resident Bill.

Leslie Newman, the Fair Trade USA representative partnered with Witches Brew Coffee, kicked off the event by sharing the stories of some of their fair trade farmers. Leslie spoke of a small farming community of La Dalia in Nicaragua, where the La Revancha farm is. La Revancha is the first Fair Trade Certified coffee estate in Central America, where the family owned estate employs 90 workers.

Leslie was able to show the attendees pictures from her recent visit to La Revancha. It was eye-opening for the community to see exactly where their coffee was coming from. For many attendees, coffee is built into their daily routine, however, not many people think about all the work that happens to get that cup of Witches Brew Black Magic Blend.

“Few have electricity, running water, or toilets, and many of their homes are lean-tos made of a dirt floor and scrap metal. They are also kind, humble, and generous beyond belief.” Leslie said at one point during her presentation.

What shocked many community members is the fact that for every pound of Fair Trade Coffee sold, Witches Brew Coffee pays an additional 20 cents that goes into a separate community fund, according to Fair Trade USA. This can have a huge impact on communities like La Dalia.  

“If just one single buyer were to purchase one single container of Fair Trade coffee from La Revancha, the workers would receive $8,000 in premiums for their community projects,” Leslie said. This fact shocked the room. Knowing that a routine cup of Witches Brew Coffee could have a global impact helped the attendees understand why Fair Trade Certified products are so important.

At the end of the event, Witches Brew Coffee pledged to buy a container of Fair Trade Coffee from La Revancha, so the workers can receive some of the funds they need. With this money, La Revancha plans to provide 22 bathrooms, doctors for 900 people, and food for the elderly.

“I am so glad that Witches Brew held this event, and look forward to attending more in the future. I never thought that the orders of Cauldron Brewed Coffee I serve daily actually gave back to the community,” said Barista Stevie.

Witches Brew Coffee plans on holding at least two more events in the Seattle area before the end of the year, in the hopes to continue educating the community about the value of Fair Trade Certified Products.