The South African trading company Bean There was founded by Jonathan and Sarah Robinson, lovers of Africa, who aim at having the countries of the continent discovered through their productions of fair trade coffee.
BEAN THERE THE FAIR SOUTH AFRICAN COFFEE COMPANY Bean There became the first organisation in South Africa to roast, prepare and market coffee that was purchased from certified cooperatives in major producing countries in Africa.
“Fair trade is not an obligation but an opportunity to actively support development, growth, and social empowerment.’’ Bean There
On entering the Bean There shop in Johannesburg, you are most likely to be struck by the smell of coffee, a strong aroma that will make you close your eyes with pleasure. Then, when you’ll open them, you will also discover the wonderful source of the smell, a huge roasting machine that sits in the middle of the store and out of which steam sometimes rises. On the shelves you will see packs of single origin coffee from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, and against the walls, large brown canvas bags filled with coffee beans. The whole production of the producer organisations with which Bean There buys coffee beans are fair and / or sustainable (Fairtrade and UTZ Certified) certified and as such enjoy better conditions for the sale of their coffee (higher prices, favourable payment conditions, fair premiums). Indeed, at Bean There, it is believed that “for too long coffee producers have been exploited and treated unfairly through the practices of globalised free trade’’ and instead “commercial relationship should be established with African coffee producers and they and their families and communities should be supported.’’ 20
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