Grumpy Mule

How ethical is Grumpy Mule?

Grumpy Mule is one of The Good Shopping Guide’s high-rated ethical coffee brands and is owned by Cafédirect. The brand receives an above benchmark Good Shopping Guide ethical score in our Ethical Coffee Ratings Table and, as a result, meets our ethical standard as a good ethical coffee brand.

The Good Shopping Guide encourages other brands within the coffee sector to look at how Grumpy Mule operates and follow its example to act more ethically within its policies and practices.

For more information on the organic coffee industry, see The Good Shopping Guide to Ethical Coffee. You can compare Grumpy Mule to other brands in our Ethical Coffee Rating Table.

What does Grumpy Mule do?

Grumpy Mule was founded in 2006 in Meltham, Yorkshire with a focus on producing organic coffee that operates sustainably. The brand has achieved many Great Taste Awards in the past years and produces certified Fairtrade coffee using organic coffee beans. Read more about the brand’s values and story here. Grumpy Mule was owned by international coffee brand Bewley’s Coffee Ltd from 2013 to 2023, when it was acquired by Cafédirect Plc.

In what areas does Grumpy Mule perform well? 

Grumpy Mule was marked up under our Organic and Fairtrade criteria, as the majority of its products are certified by Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) and the Fairtrade Foundation.

Neither the brand nor its parent company has been linked to funding political parties or candidates, which has resulted in a top rating in the Political Donations category.

How could Grumpy Mule rate higher on our Ethical Coffee Ratings Tables? 

Due to Grumpy Mule’s above benchmark score, the brand is eligible for The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation. This would be especially beneficial to this brand due to the values that it prides itself on.

If your coffee brand is ethical and sustainable, and could benefit from Ethical Accreditation from The Good Shopping Guide, get in touch or fill out a quick initial assessment form.