Cafédirect

How ethical and sustainable is Cafédirect?

Cafédirect is a brand of tea that has been independently researched by The Good Shopping Guide. Cafédirect exceeds our Ethical Tea benchmark. The brand also ranks in the top percentile in the majority of our categories, with the exception of Genetic Modification.

We would be open to granting Cafédirect Ethical Accreditation; as part of Cafédirect’s application, the brand would receive suggestions on how to improve its sustainability practices, in addition to experiencing the benefits of being Ethically Accredited with The Good Shopping Guide.

For more information on the ethical issues in the Tea sector, please read the Ethical Tea article by The Good Shopping Guide and see how other brands score in our Ethical Tea Ratings Table.

What is Cafédirect and what does it do?

Cafédirect is one of the UK’s first and largest Fairtrade hot drinks brands, with at least a third of sales certified as Soil Association Organic. In addition to paying Fairtrade social premiums for its crops, the company contributes up to 50% of its profits to the grower communities from whom the ingredients are sourced.

To date, that pledge has translated into more than £30 million for suppliers, who receive not just funds, but real sustainable support via Producers Direct, Fairtrade, and Organic Premiums.

Where does Cafédirect score well as a brand ethically?

Cafédirect ranks among the top brands in the majority of our evaluation categories, including Animal Welfare, Organic, Vegetarian/Vegan products, and Fairtrade products.

How can Cafédirect improve its ethical rating?

The Good Shopping Guide employs a variety of assessment criteria to determine whether a brand is ethical and eligible for Ethical Accreditation. Cafédirect’s scores are calculated using these criteria for all its surveyed categories. To continue developing its Ethical Rating, the company can apply for and receive Ethical Accreditation. Furthermore, by following in the footsteps of other ethical brands, the brand could perform better in the Genetic Modification research category by releasing a comprehensive GM statement.

If you own or work with an ethical, organic or Fairtrade tea brand, why not get in touch about our Ethical Accreditation? Or, fill out a quick sustainability assessment form with some details about your company to get the process of consultancy and certification started for your tea company.