Since day one, Coffee Collective has prioritized direct relationships with our producer partners at origin. Every year, we visit the farmers to ensure meaningful dialogue and fair negotiations, challenging the traditional global power imbalance that often favors rich buying countries. Our belief is simple: we pay more to ensure quality and support farmers’ livelihoods. 

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In Ethiopia, we began a new partnership in 2023 with Habtamu Fekadu Aga, who operates as washing stations near the village of Worka. Our cautious first year confirmed exceptional quality, and by 2024, we were confident enough to commit to a full container purchase—at an increased price that would go directly to farmers. Habtamu fully supported this approach. 

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The system is straightforward: farmers receive an initial payment at harvest, followed by a second payment after the coffee is sold. Even though the system is simple in principle due to local politics and uncertainties this is the first time since we started buying Ethiopian Coffee in 2007 that it was possible to do.  

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In August 2024, Habtamu gathered 250 farmers to distribute historically high payments—thanks to the Quality Bonus premium prices we paid.  

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Habtamus local relations has been crucial for this to happen. Especially his very good relations to the elders in the local community like Elfinish Gelgelu and her husband. They also attended the second payment event. 

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One of the attending farmers, Elfinesh Gelgelu, who is the largest farmer in the area, emphasized how fair payment and training motivate higher quality: “The combination of ripe cherries, farmer training, and good prices keeps us focused on coffee production.” 

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Habtamu agrees that higher payments don’t create envy but inspire better work: “Farmers see that delivering quality pays off.” The result? A win-win for farmers, producers, and customers alike—who get to enjoy extraordinary coffee with a clear conscience.