Starting this summer, the coffee we serve during fellowship time on Sunday mornings is getting an upgrade… in quality and in conscience. We’re trialing Café Justo (Just Coffee) for our weekly coffee fellowship. Café Justo is a grower-owned cooperative based in southern Chiapas, Mexico. A longtime PC(USA) mission partner, their coffee is organic, shade-grown, and delicious!
What makes it different is their “Fair Trade Plus” model. Traditional fair trade is a step in the right direction, but in that system the growers still see only a fraction of the retail price. Fair Trade Plus cuts out the middlemen entirely — the cooperative handles growing, roasting, packaging, and export, which means the money stays in the community. Growers are paid more than three times the standard fair trade rate, and the cooperative provides health insurance for growers and their families. In short: it’s coffee that tastes good and does good.
Coming soon: we’ll be setting up a way for members to order Café Justo for home use, which also helps offset international shipping costs for the congregation. Stay tuned for details.