Transparent Payments and Pricing

Historically, coffee growers and coffee consumers were kept distant by geography, the complex nature of international trade and, in too many cases, intermediaries who derived profits from misinformation and shady pricing. For Counter Culture, transparency is the foundation of a trusting partnership and we are honored by our role in the coffee supply chain that links growers and consumers.

In our long-term relationships with coffee growers and coffee customers, we find that every year it gets easier to talk openly to one another about the needs we have and the challenges we face as business partners. These conversations have proven invaluable over the years: they provide opportunities to share ideas, strategize, and ask questions, including and especially questions about coffee prices. We believe that we make our business stronger and more sustainable when we begin these conversations early in the relationship and involve as many participants in supply chain as possible. We commit to transparency and full disclosure of all relevant financial information, all of the time, and we ask our partners to share our commitment.

Transparency is also one of the core values behind Counter Culture Direct Trade Certification. These coffees are our great examples of transparent transactions that recognize each individual's role in the supply chain. We collaborate with grower partners to determine the price they receive first, and only then negotiate for other services such as processing, export, and import. This way, all parties clearly understand their responsibilities and compensation. Our goal is for growers, consumers, and everyone in between to build trust in us and in our pricing because when we are working together and communicating honestly—as farmers, processors, roasters, retailers, and consumers—we all benefit.

We take this transparent approach to everything we do because we are proud of the work of each of our coffee partners. Please feel free email us This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to request information at any time.

Please read our Counter Culture Direct Trade Certification Transparency Report (PDF) for the most recent update of our progress.