Relationship CoffeeTM


For generations, farmers did not know who purchased their coffee, how it tasted, or if they would sell to the same buyer again. Sustainable Harvest is changing this cycle with its “Relationship Coffee” services.

Relationship Coffee is an alternative business model to the traditional coffee supply chain. It operates with complete transparency and brings coffee farmers, importers, and roasters together on a level playing field. Our approach connects growers to markets through direct relationships while investing in training, technology, and management systems to improve farmers’ ability to create a better quality product and thrive in the specialty coffee market. Roasters also benefit from the Relationship Coffee model, receiving fully transparent information on the producers they work with and a secure, consistent supply of coffee fostered by years of face-to-face business relationships.

As part of this innovative model, we invest about two-thirds of our operating expenses in farmer training services.

 

 

The Five T’s of Relationship Coffee

The Relationship Coffee model is based on the five T’s, areas of investment that create a sustainable and successful supply chain.

 

Training_notext.png

Training

At the core of the model are our farmer training programs, which help farmers meet the standards of the specialty market through improved growing and processing techniques. Sustainable Harvest has four offices in Mexico, Peru, and Tanzania to provide training and ensure the quality of coffees we source.

 

Financing_notext.pngTrade Credit

To help farmers cover their harvest costs and make long-term investments, we facilitate access to trade credit through our partner finance institutions. In 2009, Sustainable Harvest signed contracts to guarantee $13.9 million in loans for cooperatives and farmers.



Traceability_barcode_notext.pngTraceability

We create total traceability in our supply chain, allowing us to provide customers with reliable, consistent sources of quality coffee. We are also able to share information with all of our supply chain partners about who grew the coffee and who bought it.

 

Technology_notext.png

Technology

Sustainable Harvest invests in technology to connect supply chain partners and work more efficiently. For example, we promote low-water use coffee processing machinery and created a proprietary tracking system to manage supply chain logistics and increase transparency in our operations.


Transparency_notext.pngTransparency

We uphold the highest standards of transparency in all our business dealings, opening our books to both our farmer co-op suppliers and roaster buyers to establish fair terms for all parties.

 


The Relationship Coffee model comes to life each year through various Let’s Talk Coffee® training events and through lectures and presentations.