Did you know that being certified organic and Fairtrade does not simply mean putting a seal on our bags?
When you buy organic or fair trade coffee, you make sure that it meets the very strict requirements of Canada Organic and Fairtrade Canada in terms of protecting the environment and improving the living conditions of coffee producers.
Organic coffee: better for you and for the producers
When a product is organic, farmers work in harmony with nature: this results in better crop biodiversity and sustainable agriculture, all in a balanced ecosystem. No pesticides, chemicals or herbicides are used. This allows the farmer, the inhabitants of his community, the water, the earth and the air to be free of these harmful products (which you do not want to find in your cup!).
Organic products meet a long list of criterias to ensure their quality and respect for the environment. With the constant efforts of the coffee farmers, we are able to deliver flavorful coffee of exceptional quality.
At Café William, we believe that natural coffee is better for you AND the communities in which it is grown. Organic coffee means better long-term health for the farmer and his family, and it is one more step towards sustainable agriculture.
Consuming organic is ingenious ... as much for you as for the environment!
Café William is committed to encouraging and supporting farmers, both in coffee production and in the future of their community.
Buying Fairtrade certified coffee enables coffee producers to improve their living conditions and those of their community. It’s making sure they get a fair price for all the colossal work they do so YOU can have the best cup ever!
What are the concrete actions of Fairtrade Canada? The organization guarantees Fairtrade producers a minimum price, which covers the costs of producing coffee. This gives coffee growers a nice safety net no matter the price of coffee on the market. A stable income is thus guaranteed to them, because the fluctuation of prices does not affect them.
There is also the Fairtrade Premium: this is an additional amount deposited in a common fund belonging to farmers and workers. They choose to invest it as they see fit: in infrastructure, in education or in health care, for example.
As younger generations in the Global South increasingly abandon coffee production due to unfavorable conditions and an uncertain future, it is all the more important to encourage them and buy Fairtrade certified products. At Café William, we believe this is essential. Buying Fairtrade certified coffee means ensuring a decent income and a future for coffee growers and thus ensuring the sustainability of coffee growing.
Café William gives Fairtrade Premiums to coffee cooperatives all over the world every year!
Since 2018, coffee growers on the island of Sumatra have been able to:
- Build a road allowing the community to get to the farms more easily;
- Provide access to clean water in more than 90 residences through the construction of a pipeline;
- Build a solid wall to protect the primary school from landslides;
- Invest in a drying floor for coffee beans, to improve its quality;
- Obtain technical assistance for certain agricultural practices;
- Acquire more efficient agricultural tools;
DIRECT TRADE to avoid intermediaries
Another principle that is important to us is direct trade. Direct trade means buying coffee directly from the cooperative or the producer, without intermediaries.
It is a philosophy and an ethical practice that allows us to offer you the best coffees possible, with full traceability. Through this approach, we are able to establish close relationships with our valued agricultural partners and obtain coffee of outstanding quality.
Our partners are committed to ecologically and socially sustainable practices, essential qualities for Café William. Direct trade also allows us to pay producers fairly, guarantee them a decent income in their community, and thus ensure the sustainability of the coffee industry.
Is the coffee you drink organic and fair trade? Can you trace its origins back to the farm where it was harvested? Do not hesitate to educate yourself in order to make the best choice, both for you and for the future of coffee growing. Because it is YOU who will make the difference in the future!
Ask Yourself: Would You Be Ready To Live In A World Without Coffee? Us… No!
It is therefore essential to make a joint effort to encourage producers to continue, so that we ourselves can continue to consume this drink that we love so much!