Roasters United: a commitment to fair and sustainable coffee

A unique coalition of passionate roasters from across Europe, united by a shared commitment to fair and sustainable coffee. Founded in 2012, this innovative group facilitates ethical partnerships with coffee producers, promoting respectful farming practices and fair compensation. Immerse yourself in the world of these artisans of taste, who not only celebrate the unique terroirs of their coffees but also actively contribute to a greener and more humane future.

What is Roasters United?

Committed European coffee roasters

Co-founded in 2012 by Esperanza Café (France), Boréal Coffee (Switzerland), Just Coffee (Denmark) and Quijote (Germany), Roasters United (Torréfacteurs Unis, in French) is a group of European enthusiasts who select and import specialty coffees from organic farming.

By 2024, this collective, which works for specialty coffee, will consist of nearly twenty roasters (including LePerco) from all over Europe.
French, Germans, Danes, Swiss, Italians, Austrians, all sharing the same ecological and humanist values.

In the service of common sense!

The 21 members commit to working directly with farmers and their cooperatives to promote only high-quality coffees grown democratically using organic methods to foster economic development and minimize the ecological footprint of everyone's work.

A separate structure

Since 2021, "RU" has been transformed into a "Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif" (SCIC) – after five years as a French non-profit association (under the 1901 law). This SCIC is multi-stakeholder and represents an adherence to the fundamental cooperative values ​​of democracy, solidarity, and working for the collective good, transcending the individual interests of the various businesses. It organizes meetings twice a year to discuss upcoming trips and recent imports, to report on the results of the different working groups, to taste samples, to exchange information on roasting, and any other aspect of the business. The annual visits are conducted in alternating groups of different members, and while they are committed to staying in touch and exchanging information throughout the year, each member commits to participating in at least one visit every two years.

The principles of fair trade

Collaboration with local producers

The "Socialising Cup Quality" aims to offer the best trading conditions to partner growers, but not only them!
It also supports and encourages the economic and social development of coffee-producing communities worldwide.

Responsible and sustainable purchasing

In about ten countries, including Honduras, Ethiopia, Brazil and Nicaragua, the collective buys organic green coffee and visits producers at least once every 2 years, in order to maintain contact and deepen relationships.
He has set strict rules that serve as the basis for all his commercial transactions with cooperatives and farmers.
Minimum price, coffee quality, relationship duration, and organic farming practices: this union is committed to scrupulously respecting these rules for small producers organized into collective structures. Since the human aspect is central to this organization, and although the collective imposes no limit on farm size, partner cooperatives, associations, and even companies must demonstrate democratic practices in their governance.

Impact on the coffee industry

Benefits for small producers

Roasters United's pricing policy is designed to benefit farmers by limiting risks and guaranteeing them fair compensation regardless of market trends. On a personal level, the relationships the collective builds with its partners are also intended to be long-term, based on commitment and mutual respect. Furthermore, members commit to a specific number of bags before harvest time, allowing growers to anticipate the final volume to be shipped.

Contributing to a more sustainable environment.

To preserve the richness of the aromas and the planet, the coffee cherries are hand-picked when ripe. Roasters United also encourages agroforestry, which involves combining trees, crops, and/or livestock within the same agricultural production system to limit the environmental impact of farms.

Roasters United, a logical commitment for LePerco!

At the beginning of Perco's barista adventure in 2017 ( see our article on the history of Perco ), Pierre-Marie met Esperanza Café and began to let his customers taste their coffees and share the human and committed adventure of Roasters United.

In 2020, when the time came to roast his own green beans, convinced of the value of being part of a European project with social and solidarity-based governance, Pierre-Marie decided to commit his company to the membership process. Thus, LePerco became a member of Roasters United in the fall of 2021, coinciding with the inauguration of the workshop at the Eole Business Incubator.

For the past 4 years, LePerco has participated in exchanges with the roaster cooperative members of Roasters United and participates in its governance through involvement in the cooperative's digital projects.

Want to find out more about Roasters United? Visit the cooperative's website!