At Bivouac, we firmly believe that the uniqueness and transparency of our coffee supply chain is what sets us apart from other roasters. In fact, we are a member of Cooperative Coffees, a roaster-owned green coffee importing organization.
We therefore operate our own supply chain together, dealing directly with producers instead of going through a traditional importer. We negotiate contracts before each harvest with each producer cooperative. Most of the producer partners we work with have been the same for 15 years.
Coffee traceability is a major issue for the entire industry — from producers to consumers — because it guarantees transparency, quality and sustainability.
Traceability and transparency
Traceability allows you to follow the journey of coffee from the farm to your cup. This lets you, as a consumer, know:
- Where your coffee comes from (country, region, farm)
- Who produced it and under what conditions
- What stages (harvesting, roasting, transport) it went through.
All this information can be easily found on Bivouac coffee bags, with additional details available on each product page of our website. Access to this information is essential and strengthens trust between our producers, us as roasters, and you as consumers.
Quality and authenticity
At Bivouac, we also believe that traceability is essential to guaranteeing the quality of our coffees and supporting the producers' work.
First and foremost, it's important for us to offer assurance that the coffee we sell matches what is advertised (e.g., single-origin coffee, specific Arabica, specialty coffee).
Furthermore, it's crucial in our work to identify the producers' farming practices, as these influence the coffee's flavor. We need to be able to trace batches in case of quality or certification issues so we can intervene quickly.
Sustainability
Together with the other members of Cooperative Coffees, we support ethical and responsible production, which means scrupulously and transparently respecting all aspects of fair trade, which goes far beyond simply a higher price.
Above all, fair trade is a just and sustainable partnership between producers and roasters. This complete transparency allows all stakeholders to operate on an equal footing, with openness and by sharing the risks, which we believe is essential for establishing a healthy negotiation environment and fostering genuine partnerships.
All the producer cooperatives we work with are certified by the relevant international organizations, which proves that their practices meet strict social and environmental criteria.
In the purpose of complete transparency in the coffee import process, Cooperative Coffees created the Fairtrade Proof website so that consumers have access to all certification documents (fair trade and organic) from producers. You can search the site by producer name, by country, or even by roaster.
Finally, we would like to mention that Cooperative Coffees is B Corp certified. B Corp certification is an international label awarded to companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and responsibility.
