Happy Fairtrade Fortnight!

posted at 4:34pm, 22 Feb 10 by Siobhan [ 0 comments ]

Fairtrade Fortnight is here again and this year’s theme is The Big Swap. At Cafédirect, we’d like you to swap your non-Cafédirect cuppa for a Cafédirect cuppa – make sure to register your Fairtrade swaps here so that the Fairtrade Foundation can track how many swaps happen over the next 2 weeks.

Some of you may not know that we have a range of teas as well as coffees so if you haven’t already tasted them, now is the perfect time!

There are lots of ways to get involved -

- look out for our Special Edition “Taste Guaran-tea” packs in stores now

- swap a bag of quality donations at Oxfam & get a pack of Cafédirect Everyday Tea in return

- get your dancing shoes on for the Fairtrade Foundation Tea Dances this Saturday

- host a Tea Party using our Tea Party kits…

Tea Parties are a great way of getting together with friends or family, trying some new teas, getting creative & enjoying yourself. We held our own Tea Party in the office on Friday to kickstart Fairtrade Fortnight which was lots of fun!

Cafédirect Fairtrade Fortnight Office Tea Party

We played party games, made our own bunting from empty tea packs, upcycled cake stands using old crockery (find instructions for how to make your own cake-stands here), baked cakes  and of course drank lots of tea!

We also had a couple of special guests who will be popping up at events during Fairtrade Fortnight so keep an eye out and check the blog later this week to find out more!

If you haven’t already ordered your Tea Party kit, there’s still time to do so, and you can also download some resources  here. At your Tea Party, make sure to take lots of photos and upload them to our Facebook Tea Party event – you might be lucky enough to WIN a Cupcake Class with our friends at Fair Cake!

Have a look at our photos if you’re looking for some inspiration for your own party and share any of your own party tips with us here or on Facebook!

Happy Tea Partying!

Friday Fun: ‘Tis the season … for awards!

posted at 11:47am, 19 Feb 10 by Whitney [ 15 comments ]

The Brits have come and gone … the BAFTA’s are on this weekend,

… and just last night, at the lovely Mansion House in the City of London, Cafédirect scooped up two awards of its own!

Who put those goody bags there?

We put our AdapCC project forward for recognition in the 9th annual Sustainable City Awards, organised by the City of London Corporation.

After being dazzled by the chandeliers of the Mansion House and awed by the lovely Cafédirect goody bags (how did those get there?), we sat down amidst a crowd of hopefuls, shortlisted from over 200 applicants, to await our fate.

One hour later, we were thrilled to come away as Runner Up in the Sustainable Finance category and Winner in the Sustainable Procurement category.

Whitney & Julia proudly display the awards

Thanks must go to our partners in AdapCC:  the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the four smallholder farmer organisations who piloted the project, CEPICAFE, Más Café, PRODECOOP and Michimikuru.

Boasting over, now on to Friday Fun!

With award winning fresh in our minds, this week’s challenge is for you to come up with the most creative answer to the following question:

If Cafédirect were to win a Brit or a BAFTA, what might the title of the winning song or film be?

Feel free to rework at winning or nominated title to fit our Cafédirect style, or you can make up a completely new title.   The most creative submission will win a brand new Cafédirect Tea Party kit, perfect for gathering friends together over a cuppa during Fairtrade Fortnight.

Cafédirect Tea Party kit

Remember to post your entry in the comments box below. You have until 5.30pm today to enter.

The winner will be chosen from all entries received and announced on the blog on Monday. Prizes can only be sent to a UK or Republic of Ireland address.

Good luck!

Celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight with Emma Watson!

posted at 12:01pm, 16 Feb 10 by Siobhan [ 1 comment ]

Image by Andrea Carter-Bowman

Today, we’re delighted to have a guest blog post from People Tree CEO, Safia Minney (pictured left with Emma Watson), talking about their new Emma Watson collection & an exclusive giveaway for Friends of Cafédirect.….

“Cafédirect and People Tree are real Fair Trade Pioneers so it’s nice to be able to join up around Fairtrade Fortnight, which is starting this year on 22 February.

And as the Big Fortnight approaches we’re thrilled to announce our exciting Fair Trade collaboration with Emma Watson and our gorgeous new People Tree “Love from Emma” catalogue.

Acting as a creative advisor, Emma helped myself and the team here at People Tree create a vibrant collection for women and men, consisting of cotton T-shirts, jersey dresses, poplin skirts and shorts.

She told me: “I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to help alleviate poverty.  I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion.”

As such, 80% of her new line is made of 100% Fairtrade certified cotton. In order to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight we are excited to offer you special Cafédirect friends a very special competition to win an organic cotton tote bag SIGNED BY EMMA HERSELF (pictured left)!

Yes, this unique and very collectable prize can be yours if you just answer a simple question!

Enter here! (Click here for a clue!)

Good luck!”

Friend of the Month – Pete Sherrott

posted at 3:49pm, 15 Feb 10 by Alex [ 4 comments ]

Pete is one of Cafédirect’s best customers!
He singlehandedly drinks enough tea in a year to keep our supply chain team on overdrive…

So ahead of our Tea ParTea for Fairtrade Fortnight, he is very much flavor of the month! 

Tea or coffee?                                                                                        Tea.                                                                                                                   

Pete reminiscing about his genius Friday Fun jokes – how we laughed!

What is your favorite  Cafédirect drink?
Cafédirect Everyday Tea. I’m a man of very simple tastes.  

 How long have you been drinking it?
At least the last 4 years.  

How did you discover Cafédirect?
My work provides it and it gradually became a very important part of my life.  I’m now a 10-a-day-man! 

What is the best thing about being a Friend of Cafédirect?
For me, it’s all about the Friday Fun!
Pete was particularly proud of these suggestions, and handled the disappointment of not winning very well!!

Classic Teasmade

Name 1 thing not many people know about you?
I have a teasmaid (vintage 70’s tea-delivering alarm clock) which wakes me up every morning. It is without doubt the greatest human invention. The only down-side being you need to leave milk next to it for the morning, and in my sleep I once managed to drop my phone right into the waiting white-stuff.

I’ve now learned to leave my phone somewhere more sensible. 
 

Do you have any hidden talents?
I play the mandolin. I can also talk to birds. (One of these is a lie)
 

What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
It’s a combination of things: bacon in soft white rolls with cups of tea (Cafédirect, naturally), sport watching with friends, a walk taking in a pub and then roasting some meat to eat in front of a film.
That’s my Sunday.
 

 If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Wow, that’s almost impossible… but, if you’re offering, Cambodia. Thanks. 
 
Sunset or Sunrise?
Sunrise, it’s always more of an achievement.
 

If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be? 
Virtuosic musical talent on every instrument (including the ability to sing), the ability to talk every language, free tea for all.
 

Glass half empty or half full?
Full. Always.

Photo of Pete with his Teasmaid is on it’s way!
I wonder if he’ll be using this when he hosts Cafédirect Tea Party?
Share your tea party experiences on our Facebook group here