Cafédirect Group

When people hit rock bottom, Crisis is there. A warm place to stay, a helping hand, or just some kindness when it’s needed most. They make a real difference for those with nowhere else to turn. Over the last five years, we’ve chipped in too: > 47,000 cups of coffee > 41,000 cups of tea > 8,000 hot chocolates Nice to think our brews are part of the mix, keeping people warm and fuelled along the way. Everyone needs help now and then. Thanks to Crisis for stepping up when there’s no one else. And for doing such a brilliant job of it.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Cafédirect. What a year it’s been. We’ve been busy merging two companies after buying Bewley’s UK last year. A big move, and it’s paying off. Our out-of-home business is growing and the 4,000-tonne roastery is filling up. And we've welcomed a new brand into the fold - Grumpy Mule. The coffee world doesn’t stand still. Prices on the stock exchange might be soaring, but the farmers who grow coffee need something steadier. Prices they can actually live on. That’s been our goal since day one. Fair, sustainable coffee that works for everyone. None of this happens without you. Our Cafédirect drinkers and customers. You help change the way coffee is bought and sold. It’s the only way to make sure the coffee we drink today doesn’t stop us drinking coffee tomorrow. Here’s to another big year of Coffee Done Right. Enjoy the holidays, everyone. P.S. The photo was taken at our company conference and Christmas party last week in Leeds.

Serving coffee that stands out – Grumpy Mule in Café Life. This month, Cafe Life Magazine features an article on Grumpy Mule. It spotlights our refreshed look, big ambitions, and how we’re helping café owners serve exceptional coffee. Here are the highlights: *A fresh look. Grumpy Mule’s bold new style is sharper, simpler, and still all about exceptional coffee. Roasted in Yorkshire, Fairtrade, organic, and now with recyclable packaging. *Accessible specialty. We’re making premium coffee less snooty and more approachable. Everyone deserves a great coffee, jargon-free. *For café owners: Private label roasting. Barista training. Marketing support. Equipment solutions. We’re your full-service partner in coffee. *Staying ahead: We listen to customers. Adapt to trends. And always put the farmer first. It's Coffee Done Right. It’s well worth a read if you’re in the café business and want to serve something that stands out. https://lnkd.in/dwwArFb (pages 40-41) Thank you to our Marketing Manager, Eleanor Morris, for sharing your insights into the café market.

Why higher coffee prices don’t solve the problem. Coffee prices on the stock market are at record highs. Prices have been climbing steeply this year. But higher prices don’t always mean farmers are earning enough to live on. One good harvest at a higher price doesn’t fix poverty. It doesn’t create long-term change or give farmers a bigger slice of coffee’s value, especially with rising costs of production. Volatile prices make it harder for cooperatives to plan finances, turning loans into a risky gamble. Defaults on contracts increase. Everyone loses. We take a different approach. Cafédirect trades directly with farmers. No middlemen. Farmers get a premium price - 47% above Fairtrade Minimum Price last year. We focus on lasting partnerships. Our relationships with cooperatives average 27 years. We’re formalising these agreements to give farmers the security they need to invest and grow. Long-term relationships mean better financing and more resilient farms. When farmers succeed, so does coffee. We get the pick of the crop, and contracts stay solid. Everybody benefits. Fair prices are a good start. But farmers also need investment to diversify incomes and build sustainable farms. That’s why we’ve invested £30 million in producer programmes and price premiums to tackle systemic issues. These record prices are partly driven by climate disasters. Flooding in Vietnam disrupted Robusta production, driving up all coffee prices globally. Climate change poses a direct threat to coffee farmers and the coffee we enjoy. That’s why we work with farmers to cut our supply chain’s carbon footprint to secure the future of coffee. The way coffee is bought and sold needs to change. Farmers need a stable, decent price - one they can live on. It’s the only way to make sure there’s a future for coffee and everyone who depends on it. Drink Cafedirect. It’s Coffee Done Right. Photo: visiting our partners Las Prosperidad de Chirinos coffee cooperative in Peru in 2023. We've worked with them since 1991 and their general manger sits on our Board.

Big news from the #SocEntAwards24 last night - our CEO, John Steel, received an Honorary Fellowship from Social Enterprise UK. This isn’t handed out lightly. It’s reserved for people who’ve made a real mark in social-purpose business. John’s led Cafédirect’s growth while helping to champion the broader social enterprise movement. He’s now in good company alongside trailblazers like Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus, Lord John Bird, and Professor Mariana Mazzucato. Read more on the Fellowship here: https://lnkd.in/eRVV8m_M Cheers to John and the other legends in this cohort.

A few of the London staff visited our roastery last week. It’s always worth the trip. Partly because of where it is - in Meltham, Yorkshire. You’ll get a proper friendly welcome (it’s Yorkshire, after all) and always learn something new. We took a visitor to see Grumpy Mule being roasted and packed up. Arran Stein, our Coffee Manager, shared stories of how Grumpy Mule has been part of huge social-impact projects in Colombia and Peru. The difference it’s making is impressive. Every batch of coffee gets serious attention. It’s taste tested not once, but four times. Each batch is slow-roasted to bring out the best flavours from the beans. The roast is then colour-checked to make sure it’s spot-on every time. If your business needs great coffee, come and see for yourself. We’ll get the coffee on and show you around. Drop us a message to book a tour: info@cafedirect.co.uk

Farmers deserve a seat at the table - Join us in the call for Fair Food Systems At Cafédirect, we know that real change for farmers and food systems won’t happen without tackling two big issues: climate change and fair prices for crops like coffee. These challenges aren’t easy, and the people impacted the most - farmers, women, young people and indigenous communities - are often left out of the conversation.   That’s why at COP29 Cafédirect is backing the Food Systems Call to Action. The solution is clear. Farmers and indigenous people need to be at the policy table. Decisions about food and climate can’t be made without the voices of those who live this reality every day. And it's why Cafédirect has farmer board members and shareholders.   Joining initiatives like the UN’s Race to Zero and now this Call to Action, we’re pushing for food systems that work for people, nature, and the climate by 2030. This isn’t just talk. It’s about setting goals that matter and then meeting them.   Hundreds of leaders have already joined this movement. It’s time to add your voice too.   > Sign the Food Systems Call to Action: https://lnkd.in/eAMVj-3c > Learn more about how we can drive food systems change: https://lnkd.in/g8A3ucmk   Let’s make sure every coffee farmer and producer can thrive on a healthy planet.   #ActionOnFood #GoodFoodForAll #3RioConventions

Ever wonder what it takes to bring you a truly fair cup of coffee? Triodos just shared the full story. Cafédirect’s work goes beyond Fairtrade labels. We’re committed to a Gold Standard, where farmers aren’t just suppliers - they’re shareholders, decision-makers, and partners shaping our business and the industry. From climate resilience to direct sales through the Farm Direct App, we’re rethinking coffee from the ground up. Triodos has been alongside us for 20 years, backing our mission with impact-driven finance. Together, we’re proving what happens when business and banking serve a greater purpose. Check out Triodos' piece on Cafédirect to learn how we’re driving change that's good for everyone involved: https://lnkd.in/eTcEm_C6 It's Coffee Done Right. Producers Direct Triodos Bank

Coffee. We all need the good stuff to get us through the day. The right decisions. The right ideas. The right pick-me-up. But farmers are quitting because they're paid wrong. When coffee's done right, you won't go without. Cafédirect. Coffee done right. What does coffee do for you?

It's a big week for us at HQ... After months of graft (and a lot of coffee, obviously), Grumpy Mule's brand-new look has officially landed in Waitrose. And trust us, it’s worth the wait. We’ve kept that bold, in-your-face flavour you love, and made it even easier to make café-quality brews at home. Whether you’re after a killer single origin or one of our punchy blends (coming soon), we’ve got a roast to suit every taste. The team couldn’t be more buzzing to see it on shelves – we’ve been long excited for this refresh since Grumpy Mule became part of the Cafédirect family last year. Same amazing coffee and now 100% Fairtrade. Well done team! So, next time you’re in Waitrose, keep an eye out for the Mule. You won’t regret it. Waitrose & Partners The Fairtrade Foundation