Equal Exchange Coffee

By Patrick Pauley

For more than two decades, I thought of coffee as “dirty water.” Sure, my stints at Starbucks and various family run coffee shops in the city spanned more than six years, but during that time I never partook in the tradition of free drinks during a shift (besides an oat chai latte here and there). Coffee has always smelled great to me, but that’s about it;I couldn’t even stomach it when I needed a caffeine boost to pull an all-nighter at the library. For some reason though, at the beginning of quarantine, I decided it was time to overcome my aversion to coffee. Now, my distaste for the beverage has disappeared and I start my days with it!

I was happy to find whole coffee beans at the Co-op after joining a couple of months ago. That discovery was made even better by the conveniently located coffee grinder right next to them. Although I’m new to coffee drinking, I know that freshly ground beans are always best. The majority of the Co-op’s whole coffee beans are from a company called Equal Exchange;, after further research, I discovered that they are organized as a democratic worker cooperative! Just like us, everyone that works at Equal Exchange is a worker-owner, and they all have an equal say in the company no matter their role. 

The coffee beans from Equal Exchange are not only organic, but also what they call “authentic fair trade.” The company says this distinction empowers both consumers and small farmers. Their “authentic” fair trade standards differ from those of other organizations, such as Fair Trade USA, that certify products as fair trade (you have probably seen their symbol on a number of products). This is because the standards of these organizations have unfortunately lowered over time. Large-scale operations that threaten the livelihood of small farmers, and the environment, can now be called fair trade. Equal Exchange is fighting this, and aims to develop an authentic fair trade system. Learn more about them and their mission here.

Here’s a list of the Equal Exchange beans available, which are all $10.52/lb, along with their descriptions:

Love Buzz, organic: 

• Full city & French roast blend

• Tasting notes: bold & intense; molasses, toasted marshmallow, walnut

Breakfast Blend, organic: 

• Medium & French roast blend

• Tasting notes: creamy & balanced; vanilla, milk chocolate, citrus

Ethiopian, organic single origin: 

• Full city roast

• Tasting notes: fruity & complex;ginger, spice, blueberry

Peruvian, organic single origin:

• Medium roast

• Tasting notes: 

  • Aroma: floral, white grape, butterscotch

  • Flavor: sweet, white grape, winey acidity

  • Mouthfeel: soft & juicy

  • Acidity: effervescent, sparkling

  • Aftertaste: juicy, sweet, malt

Mind, Body and Soul, organic: 

• Medium & Vienna roast blend

Tasting notes: mellow & smooth; milk chocolate, vanilla, nutty