Origin Project | What is Origin Project Coffee? Benefits of Fair Trade Coffee

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Yunnan Coffee Origin Project - Why Did FrontStreet Coffee Choose This Most Difficult Path?

The Origin Project is a green bean sourcing program established in 2015 by WBC champion and Cup of Excellence international judge Sasa Sestic and his company ONA. This program directly connects with coffee farmers in impoverished countries, ensuring they have safe working conditions and helping them cultivate coffee beans with higher cupping scores, enabling them to receive prices 20% higher than other "fair trade" coffee beans. It also aims to strengthen the relationship between roasters and producers. To date, relationships have been established with coffee growers from 8 countries around the world, including Colombia, Brazil, Panama, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica. Many coffee shops have joined the "Origin Project" movement.

Fair Trade Coffee

Fair trade coffee primarily involves direct transactions with local coffee farmers at fair prices. It operates through transparent management models and business forms, ensuring producers' working conditions and protecting the local environment. Simultaneously, it provides corresponding production techniques and training, and establishes facilities such as bridges, schools, and hospitals. Its purpose is to achieve sustainable development and alleviate poverty.

In general, "fair trade" means that farmers from third-world countries who grow crops like coffee beans or cocoa beans, or workers who sew shirts in overseas factories, have received reasonable compensation without being exploited. The purpose of this label is to serve as a compass for socially conscious customers in wealthy countries, allowing them to know that the companies producing these products respect labor rights when making purchases.

Some coffee experts believe that coffee drinkers must be educated in the future. We are accustomed to buying "fair trade coffee" because it is the "right" thing to do, without considering quality. The next step might be to encourage us to purchase and appreciate coffee like we buy wine—seeking specific growing locations and growers, and learning to taste the differences.

This idea will help create a better and more sustainable business model for growers, encouraging them to provide high-quality coffee and establish supply chains that achieve premium prices, avoiding the uncertainties of the commodity market.

What is COE?

COE stands for Cup of Excellence, representing "a cup of perfect coffee," also known as the "Excellence Cup."

First held in Brazil in 1999 by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), it is currently the most renowned, credible, and authoritative specialty coffee competition in the world.

The competition is generally held annually and reviewed by international judges. The final winning estates must pass six stages of screening, typically filtering from 500 estates to fewer than 30.

How the Cup of Excellence COE Was Born

The Cup of Excellence drew a clear line between "commercial coffee" and "specialty coffee."

We're breaking out the old photo albums for this one! 2001, our very first Guatemala competition! Our international jury scored 15 top coffees from all over Guatemala. We remember it like it was yesterday.

With international coffee market prices continuing to decline, the United Nations launched a plan to promote economic independence in developing countries, known as the "United Nations Premium Coffee Project (1997-2000)." The purpose was to test whether high-quality coffee could be produced, encouraging various countries to participate in the experiment and sell at reasonable prices.

Unexpectedly, Brazil—considered the most difficult country to produce "specialty coffee"—emerged as standout. In the 1999 Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) competition, the finest coffee beans from Brazil were selected and awarded the title "King of Brazil." Later, they joined the online auction ranks. In 2000, the competition scale further expanded, with the top-ranked coffee beans being awarded the "Cup of Excellence COE" title.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse variety of beans, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473