Direct Coffee takes fairtrade to the next level

Michael Tuil and Marie Tuil have the ambition to actively build a bridge between the coffee drinkers in Switzerland and coffee farmers in Ethiopia. With their startup, Direct Coffee, they import specialty coffee directly from smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and sell it in Europe in biodegradable Nespresso-compatible capsules, as beans, or ground.

Now in their third year, the startup has seen steady growth in their coffee sales. For instance, in the first and second year, it sold 2.5 and 4.5 tons of coffee respectively. The company is now close to reaching 9 tons of coffee in the third year. The startup attributes the success of its coffee platform and social projects to its customers comprising of 500 private customers, of which 300 have a recurring coffee subscription, 60 enterprises ordering larger amounts for their employees and guests, nine concept stores selling the coffee all over Switzerland and more than ten cafés / restaurants.

Fairtrade 2.0
According to Tuil, «we call our concept 200 percent transparent» – because not only the coffee drinkers can personally get to know the people who grow and harvest their coffee, but also the other way round. Moreover, the farmers are at least as much interested in meeting the people who drink their coffee. During the harvest time in November 2017, we had our first group of six travellers coming with us to Ethiopia to meet the farmers face to face.”

Direct Coffee is currently working with two coffee-grower-cooperatives called Qottaa and Bufeta Gibe – in the region of Limmu, Ethiopia – that belong to around 500 coffee farmer families.

Coffee consumption for social impact
Besides buying the coffee and eliminating the intermediary in the coffee supply chain, the startup organizes, finances, and implements social projects for the coffee farmers' children. Some of these include providing eye tests and glasses, deworming treatments, and school meals for two schools of 1200 -1500 pupils each. Today 2700 have benefited from these projects. Funds for the projects stem from the coffee consumers themselves. For each package of coffee purchased, customers support one of the coffee farmers kids with a project they choose.

Direct Coffee remains ambitious and seeks to expand its idea to other markets including, Germany, Austria, France, and Israel as well as expand the product line to Direct Tea, Direct Rice, Direct Spices.

(RAN)