Cafedirect Fairtrade Decaffeinated Organic Freeze Dried Coffee

There aren’t many “Granulated Organic Decaffeinated Fairtrade Coffees” around. It is probably because they can’t fit all that on the labels. Either way if that is what you are looking for in life then you are only going to find two on the supermarket shelves (prove me wrong, I dare you…) and I don’t think that many supermarkets can even boast that much choice.

So the toss up is between this Café ...
...Fairtrade coffee…. Shall we agree to refer to them as GODFCs next time or does that look just too suggestive?

Now maybe you are thinking that it is a prerequisite to be a sandal-wearing, middle-aged, middle-class, middle-of-the-road wishy-washy liberal Liberal to even take a look for something like this and whilst it undoubtedly helps it is far from essential.

If I am in any way representative of their purchasing ... more

There aren’t many “Granulated Organic Decaffeinated Fairtrade Coffees” around. It is probably because they can’t fit all that on the labels. Either way if that is what you are looking for in life then you are only going to find two on the supermarket shelves (prove me wrong, I dare you…) and I don’t think that many supermarkets can even boast that much choice.

So the toss up is between this Café Direct option and a similar looking Clipper granulated organic decaffeinated Fairtrade coffee…. Shall we agree to refer to them as GODFCs next time or does that look just too suggestive?

Now maybe you are thinking that it is a prerequisite to be a sandal-wearing, middle-aged, middle-class, middle-of-the-road wishy-washy liberal Liberal to even take a look for something like this and whilst it undoubtedly helps it is far from essential.

If I am in any way representative of their purchasing public then you will find that yes I probably do conform to the majority of the stereotype except that I don’t really care if my G_DFC is O or not, but hey-ho, it comes with an O which can only be a benefit I guess. If there is anybody out there wondering what it means, to conform to organic standards actually means that the producer is simply able to ensure (and be able to prove) that no artificial fertilisers or pesticides come anywhere near the plants…The Soil Association will sniff it out if they do and you won’t get the esteemed Soil Association certification like this GODFC has.

Now what I certainly DO want is a good lashing of F from my GOD_C but it is not for me to try to persuade you that allowing somebody in Peru or Guatemala a living wage is a good idea. It is not for me to suggest to you that taking your hard earned cash out of the pockets of middle men who contribute nothing to the process except extravagant marketing and marketing budget demands might actually make you feel you are spending your money wisely. Good grief no. Heaven forefend that I wax lyrical about the peaks and troughs of the coffee futures prices in the 1980s that literally swung up for one mans supper and down for his neighbours starvation. No no no, this is a consumer advice article about coffee.

So, let me just say that this 100g bottle of GODFC tastes rather good. It claims to be a medium roast but if anything I would put it slightly on the heavier side for rich taste and smell. You can tell it is a good granulated coffee just by watching the water hit it in the bottom of your mug – it dissolves properly without needing to be stirred.

I have honestly never tasted a better decaffeinated coffee either – in my experience the process of decaffeinated tends to de-coffee the coffee too. I don’t know why this should be the case but it certainly seems to be. So let us see: this is a lovely cup of instant coffee with no caffeine to upset your husbands inner workings (why else do you think I have to buy decaf?) and will set you back a mere £1.99, at least that is what Mr J Sainsbury always charges me.

Oh and it tastes much better than the similarly-priced Clipper equivalent (no offence to Clipper, long may any FT company continue).

It is a minor shame that it only comes in 100g jars really as my household get through at least two a week and we would be more than happy to invest in 250g at a time.

This coffee is Fair Trade approved (and logoed up), it is Soil Association approved, it is GM free and it is decaffeinated. Even the jar is made from 70% recycled glass. The back label has a lovely picture of a grinning Rojelia Figueroa Gabera of Peru and a tiny quote from her.

Oh, and the label is green yadda yadda…

******************************************************But the really really important points are these:

• It tastes and smells lovely
• It tastes and smells better than the only other GODFC I’ve ever come across
• It is only a tad more expensive than most 100g bottles of granulated coffee, O or not, FT or not, D or not.

As a teeny tiny minor additional incentive you will actually be helping to make a happier and fairer world. You work it out.

******************************************************

Thanks to Sam_the_Man for this FT challenge: good on you mate. It was inspired to give a little Ciao support to Fair Trade fortnight which is in full swing right now. If you want to know more about this particular coffee then take a look at http://www.cafedirect.co.uk and if you want to know more about the fabulous FairTrade, their new logo launch, what is happening in Fair Trade fortnight and much much more go to www.fairtrade.co.uk – it comes highly recommended.

 

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