Help & Information

Celebrations for May Day, or May 1st, date back to before the time of Christ. Welcoming the change of seasons, and honouring the earth, the rituals had pagan roots, and people celebrated the land and its blessings. In the last century, the day took on added significance, and May Poles and gatherings moved toward a recognition of labouring classes, of workers.

At Cafédirect, every day is a celebration of labour, as we continue to work to create sustainable livelihoods for nearly 265,000 smallholder farmers, and their families and communities, across 13 developing countries. Interestingly, last month, British pig farmers protested in front of Westminster, demanding minimum prices for pork - a Fairtrade argument for the developed world, and further proof of our ever increasing global connectedness.

We've also seen the devastating cyclone in Burma, where the death toll continues to rise. Summer brings not only warmer weather locally, but increased threat from tropical storms. Climate change, and the climate HAS changed, is perhaps the greatest threat to our farmers. The tragedy in Burma is another reminder of why it's so important to do your part - remember to only boil the amount of water you need when making your drinks. Comsumer boiling accounts for the largest CO2 emissions in the life cycle of our products! Have a look at your electricity meter next time you use the kettle!

In the meantime, thanks for your continued support, if you have any thoughts or comments about the format and content of the newsletter or just want to drop us a note, email info@cafedirect.co.uk, and happy reading!

Prepare for Summer with Cafédirect cool drinks…

Summer is just around the corner, and the sun is shining at last! What better way to celebrate the gorgeous weather than with some delicious, cold drinks made from Cafédirect coffees, teas, and drinking chocolate.

We have three recipes on our website for uplifting iced coffee, refreshing long iced tea, and cool iced mocha.

Why not try our newest product Teadirect Gold in the long iced tea, for a luxurious summer drink. Try it today and let us know what you think.

If you love making drinks or food with our coffees, teas or drinking chocolate, or have creative ideas for new recipes, do let us know at info@cafedirect.co.uk. We'll test them ourselves and share the best ideas with you.

Find out more about our range of products.

Competition Time! Win a 'Good Shopping Guide'

The Good Shopping Guide is a must-have for any ethical shopper - or someone who wants to base their purchasing decisions on more than just price. It reports and ranks the ethical scores of companies behind some of the world's biggest brands.

We have 40 copies to give away! To enter, all you have to do is email us your ideas for a new Cafédirect product telling us whywould love to see this product on shelf one day. (max 50 words)

The first 40 responses will get a copy of the book. Enter now!

Terms & conditions

We are always looking to expand our range and would love to hear your ideas. Send your ideas to competition@cafedirect.co.uk with "I'm a Good Shopper!" in the subject heading! Make sure to read the terms and conditions above before entering!

Feedback from Friends!

Thanks to all of you who have campaigned for Cafédirect, and thanks for the feedback you've sent in. Lucy Gregg from the Devon Fairtrade Campaign Team recently sent us the following message:

"Just wanted to let you know that we had Martin Odoch (pictured right during Fairtrade Fortnight), Field Manager at Mpanga Grower's Tea Factory Limited (who supply to Teadirect) in Western Uganda, visiting Devon for Fairtrade Fortnight to support our Fairtrade Devon Campaign. He was an inspiration and spoke very highly of Teadirect and Fairtrade and its benefits."

It's always great to hear from you, so don't forget to email your campaigning stories to us at campaigns@cafedirect.co.uk

Visit us at Caffe Culture 21st and 22nd May

This year, we are again showcasing our range of coffees, teas and hot chocolate drinks at the Caffé Culture Show at Olympia in London on 21st and 22nd May.

The show is targeted at the independent coffee shop owner and is the only show focusing on the cafés and coffee bars sector, which makes it an ideal event for Cafédirect to make an impact.

find out more

Cafédirect Out and About:

Cafédirect AGM

Thank you to everyone who made the journey to London and contributed to making this year's AGM a great success. As well as hearing about future strategy for Cafédirect, shareholders got to learn about the impact that Cafédirect has on the lives of grower partners and their communities.

They also got a chance to meet Anne MacCaig, our new CEO, as well as employees, Board members, and some of our grower partners from Uganda, Tanzania, and Peru.

Visit us at Hay Festival 22 May to 1st June

Cafédirect are delighted to have a presence at Hay for a third year running. We are a sponsor of the festival's café,which is running a variety of events during the week.

So, if you're going to the Festival this year, don't forget to drop by and say hello!

Click on the image on the right to see the schedule.

Pictured below Anne MacCaig with Cafédirect Board members Raul de Aguila and Raymond Kimaro at the AGM.

Don't forget to spread the word about Cafédirect - encourage your friends to sign up to become a Friend of Cafédirect.