Do Long-Term Partnerships Lead to Better Coffee?

Do Long-Term Partnerships Lead to Better Coffee? A Commonfolk Roadshow Event

Saturday 2 May, 2-4pm Beta Coffee, 76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

It's one of specialty coffee's most repeated claims: build direct relationships with producers, stay the course, and the coffee gets better. But does it actually hold up? Does the idea of direct trade favour already established farms and estates and make it even harder for smallholders and co-ops? How do small roasters or cafes even develop meaningful partnerships with producers? Is it marketing or can it be real?

This is the first stop on the Commonfolk Roadshow, and we're kicking it off with an honest conversation. A panel Q&A that takes a critical look at long-term sourcing partnerships: the benefits, the uncomfortable trade-offs, and whether the model is the best way to elevate the quality of coffee over the long run.

On the panel:

Sam Keck (Managing Director, Commonfolk Coffee). More than a decade into building Commonfolk's Ethical Sourcing Framework, Sam believes long-term partnerships have the power to transform not just the lives of those working in coffee, but the quality of the coffee itself.

Stu Henry (Caravela Coffee). Stu sees the full picture from the perspective of the importer: what long-term partnerships cost, who bears the risk, and where the model falls short for those involved.

Paul Lee (Diggy Doos). Diggy Doo's is synonymous with quality coffee in Sydney, and Paul is a well-respected veteran of the specialty coffee scene.

Hosted by Isaac Marks (Commonfolk Coffee).

On the day you'll get the chance to taste some exceptional coffees, and we'll have tasty treats courtesy of our sponsors.

Tickets cover costs for Beta and contribute to The Cup That Counts, Commonfolk's foundation that supports the most vulnerable members of the coffee community.

The Commonfolk Roadshow is a travelling series of events taking specialty coffee conversations on the road. First stop: Sydney. Watch this space.