As a worker-owned co-operative dedicated to fair trade, La Siembra is working with farmer co-operatives to build supply chains that empower consumers and growers to change the way we eat.
For exactly these reasons, we are excited to bring a new dimension to our work by collaborating with Equal Exchange. Like us, Equal Exchange is a worker-owned co-operative, which pioneered fair trade and continues to challenge corporations that seek to dominate the food system.
The organic coffees which Equal Exchange produces have a major positive impact on farming communities, are renowned for their quality, and continue to raise the bar in defining fair trade for coffee.
Since 1986, when it defied the Reagan-administration U.S. embargo of Nicaraguan products, Equal Exchange has challenged the status quo on trading relationships with farmers. Equal Exchange works only with democratically organized small-scale farmers and supports the creation of fair trade standards like the SPP certification (spp.coop) that are higher than almost all other fair trade coffees.
The co-operative has been working with farmer groups for decades. Beth Ann Caspersen, Equal Exchange Quality Control Manager, summarizes the approach by noting, “We work closely with our farmer partners, year after year, to better understand each other’s needs. The result is a trusting relationship – and delicious coffee.”
Our co-op La Siembra will now distribute, along with our Camino products, three of the most popular Equal Exchange coffee blends out of our warehouse in Ottawa, Ontario:
Organic Breakfast Blend is a classic blend of medium and dark roasts. It tastes sweet and balanced, with a creamy mouthfeel and hints of chocolate brownie, roasted nut and caramel. The beans from farmer co-ops in Peru and Nicaragua have been the foundation of this blend’s signature flavour.
Organic French Roast is a dark gem. It is full of chocolaty richness, with a subtle smoky flavour balanced by notable sweetness. No one roasts a better French roast than Equal Exchange and you’ll see why it’s their bestseller.
Organic Mind Body & Soul Blend gets its velvety character from a blend containing dark and medium roasted beans from southern Mexico. The medium roast shines through with notes of sweet orange, brown sugar, and warm spices; the dark roast complements these flavours with rich dark chocolate and adds a thick, creamy mouthfeel and gentle acidity. A slightly peppery aftertaste rounds out this outstanding blend.
These three coffees are available in both whole bean and ground versions.
We hope to have the line-up of Equal Exchange coffees available at all stores that carry Camino products. If you do not see the new Equal Exchange coffees at your favourite food store, e-mail us ([email protected]) and we will send you two samples – one for you to enjoy and one for you to give to the manager at your local retailer.
Only together can we foster co-operative relationships that build a lasting future for small-scale farmers and conscientious consumers.
