Fair Trade, Certified Organic Coffee and the Decaffination Process

Organic and Fairtrade certified coffee is shade grown by small landowners in very isolated areas all over East Timor. Tigerlily Cafe serves Fairtrade coffee.

This high grown Arabica has a malty rich liquor, well balanced earthy character and a luscious creamy finish. Their coffee cherries are processed by [Cooperative Cafe Timor](http://coopcoffees.com/what/producers/cafe-timor-east-timor), a Fairtrade coffee cooperative.  

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices, Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Fairtrade means:

  • a Fair price is paid directly to the producer and there are fair labour conditions for all people working on plantations.
  • environmental standards are used which restrict the use of agrochemicals and foster sustainability.
  • a portion of the price you pay for your coffee (the Fairtrade Premium) goes into a community trust fund to make a real impact such as education and health care.
  • labelling system and licensing approach to ensure that only properly audited producers, importers and retailers can use the Fair Trade logo, and identity.

Certified Organic coffee means:

  • no inorganic chemicals or pesticides are used in producing the coffee.
  • strict standards of the Australian Certified Organic system demand no chemicals are used in the supply chain including any roasting and handling here in Australia, ensuring no cross contamination with non-organic products.

What Is Shade Grown?

Intelligent coffee producers are now planning for a sustainable future by planting coffee trees under an indigenous forest canopy cover rather than contributing to habitat destruction which is ravaging equatorial rainforests. This provides natural habitat and food for local wildlife, as well as a vital haven for migratory birds.

These sustainable coffee crops encourage a bio-diverse environment and are often the sole source of cash income for the indigenous populations that produce them.

Where the Fair Trade Premium is spent

Revenue from the Fair Trade premium funds:

  • healthcare, providing free primary health care to Timorese farmers and their families in rural and coastal areas. Historically, these families have been poorly serviced or isolated from mainstream health services. The clinics see patients free of charge.
  • a business skills development program that provides members with training in bookkeeping, management, English language, and computer skills.
  • a wholesale purchasing co-op that provides consumer goods at reasonable prices to small retail outlets.   Equipment upgrades and purchases to process the harvested beans.

Although the FairTrade products come at a premium price, Tigerlily does not charge any extra for our fair-trade coffee and is delighted to offer and recommend this FairTrade product. You get the best coffee at a fair price.

Chemical-free decaffeination

SWISS WATER® Process is a taste-driven, 100% chemical free decaffeination process that delivers coffee that is 99.9% caffeine-free while protecting the unique origin characteristics and flavor.