Caffe Ibis Roastmaster, Randy Wirth, in Aceh Sumatra

October is Fair Trade Month
Utah’s own Caffe Ibis roastmaster, Randy With, will be kicking off Fair Trade Month by participating with Fair Trade USA and Lutheran World Relief on a Fair Trade Mission to Aceh Sumatra. Caffe Ibis was invited to work with farmers and NGOs to evaluate the impact of Fair Trade and coffee quality in Sumatra and to set goals to improve both quality and specialty coffee production where coffee premiums can have the biggest impact for small family farms. Unlike other forms of direct trade, Fair Trade seeks to develop long term relationships that include not only higher prices for farmers but education for children, equity for working women, and uplift of villages within farming regions.
Randy is also keenly interested in sustainable farming practices which include rainforest preservation and biodiversity protections as Aceh has over 600 species of birds and Caffe Ibis is a Smithsonian licensed “Bird-Friendly” roasting house. Caffe Ibis was invited on this trip because it is among the original 6 roasters in the United States to support Fair Trade and was also a part of efforts to help farmers after the devastating earthquake and Tsunami in 2004. Randy and Sally have worked for many years to help develop the market for specialty coffee from Sumatra.
On the local front and a little closer to home Caffe Ibis will be offering specials on Fair Trade coffee including a “Best of Season Fair Trade” Organic Ethiopian Gedeo Worka, Ethiopia’s 2013 Award Winner.
 
For more information or samples Call 888-740-4777 or email mike@caffeibis.com