Bryan Unkles, Managing Director, Cafeology explains what sets his company apart.
When and why did you come involved in Fairtrade?We registered in 2003 and began trading on 1 April 2004. Up to this moment I had been involved in all aspects of supplying coffee for over 13 years, working with leading coffee brands. I yearned to do my own thing but with a degree of difference. I was interested in Fairtrade, but at that time I felt there wasn’t the quality or range of products available for me to set up my own company. It was when I was on a visit to a roasting plant in Holland, that I saw the FAIRTRADE Mark on some coffee they were roasting. It was an inspired moment, when I knew I could get the product the customers wanted, with the quality I wanted to offer them. We have since moved our roasting facility to the UK to give us stable pricing, greater flexibility and ensure maximum freshness. We wanted to offer a full set of products for the out of home sector so that meant spending a long time sourcing the full range of chocolate, tea, sugar and coffee before we could start trading.
Where can you find Cafeology products?
You can find us in lots of workplaces, colleges and universities. Another growing area for us is pubs and restaurants. We work with one of the largest managed pub groups in Britain, Orchid Pub Group. You might also come across our products in one of 55 Revolution bars in town centres all over Britain.
What does Fairtrade mean to you?
Sustainability is close to our hearts and that of our business. We’ve visited Costa Rica and seen for ourselves what Fairtrade is doing for CoopeAgri R.L. and their members and what it’s doing for the community. In 2006 CoopeAgri R.L. exported 10,680 bags of sugar and approximately 93,350 kgs of coffee directly to Fairtrade markets. Revenue from the exports has funded the development of a coffee plant nursery and forest protection projects. Personally I believe it’s a great way to run a business when everything you sell benefits the people who matter most.
What’s your most popular product?
Our Espresso beans. Demand for these has gone through the roof. The hot chocolate we sell is popular too. The market is growing for Fairtrade and we offer exclusively Fairtrade products that are top quality. We’re not afraid to turn those away who are just looking for something cheap, people who are not interested in the ethics behind the company.
What do you see in store for the next five years?
The way I see it, the numbers of people now recognising the FAIRTRADE Mark and becoming more socially aware mean the demand for Fairtrade products will only continue to increase. Cafeology receives a lot of enquiries from local councils about switching to Fairtrade in the workplace. As the idea of corporate social responsibility becomes more prevalent, Fairtrade will be at the top of people’s priorities. We’re very proud of what we do – our ethical stance runs through the company, and as people develop a deeper understanding of what Fairtrade means, they will value companies like ours even more.
©Summer 2008 Fair Comment