Roasted Record + Unblended Coffee

We deplore when companies or brands use labels to sell a product without understanding their practical implications. One particularly concerning phrase in the coffee industry is “sustainable.”

We partnered with Unblended coffee importers to bring truth to the “sustainable” approach to sourcing coffee.

Unblended works with young coffee producers in Colombia. The organization provides education, brand preparation, and connections to sell coffee in the United States. Unblended's goal is to provide market access to new producers and grow the coffee industry’s support of up-and-coming coffee growers. This is a truly sustainable way to create more coffee producers.

When we buy award-winning coffees from amazing producers, we often simply give them money to make more amazing coffees. While this is great for nearly everyone involved, it does very little to grow the number of coffee producers. The best coffee producers grow, and our customers are lucky to taste their incredible product.

However, there is a limited supply of award-winning coffees from these star producers. As a global coffee community, all we are doing is we are creating more demand for a limited product. This in turn increases the price, and again, this money does not trickle down to less fortunate new coffee farmers and producers.

Purchasing from co-ops is a great way to help more than one producer. Theoretically, this is the best way to spread our purchasing power to many producers. Some co-ops have operating expenses, and some money must go to the co-op rather than the producers. This is not bad; it is simply how the world works.

Direct trade is even better. However, it is very difficult to establish a direct trade relationship as the logistics of exporting and importing coffee are very complex and require a lot of oversight. Again, though, this would only benefit one producer.

Our partnership with Unblended provides money, education, resources, and support for young producers. It helps them get on their own feet in Colombia and equips them with the skills to sell their crops and create long-term business models to sustain their way of life.

At The Roasted Record, we are thrilled to be able to ask ourselves important questions and take pride in not being a marketing company but rather a coffee company that has the luxury of doing something with our purchasing power. Our partnership with Unblended means a lot to us as a small company. We can only imagine what this means to the farmers in Colombia from whom we buy our coffee.

You can learn more about Unblended Coffee importers on their website.

Sincerely,

Roaster Mike