Café William: Acting Beyond the Cup
For over two decades, Café William has been at the forefront of sustainable coffee sourcing, proving that high-quality coffee and ethical responsibility can go hand in hand. Through its longstanding partnership with Fairtrade Canada, Café William has helped improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers while pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Their goal? Providing Canadians with premium coffee while innovating at every stage of their supply chain.
Background
Sustainability is Café William’s daily grind. The Canadian coffee company has consistently sought to minimise its environmental footprint while contributing to fairer wages and dignified working conditions for farmers. Recognising the challenges facing coffee growers—including climate change, unstable market prices, and dwindling participation from younger generations—Café William turned to Fairtrade as a means to drive systemic change.
The company’s commitment to Fairtrade is deeply rooted in its belief that fairer pricing and ethical sourcing are fundamental to preserving the future of coffee farming. With younger generations increasingly abandoning coffee production due to financial instability, Café William sees Fairtrade as a vital tool for securing the industry’s longevity while improving the lives of those who cultivate the world’s most beloved beverage.
“At Café William, our ambition is to produce the most sustainable coffee in the world, and our partnership with Fairtrade is an essential part of that journey,” says Rémi Tremblay, President and CEO of Café William.
The partnership
Café William began working with Fairtrade in 2000, making ethical sourcing a cornerstone of its business. Today, the company sources Fairtrade and organic coffee from cooperatives in Colombia, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and Indonesia. By prioritising long-term relationships with these farming communities, Café William ensures that its suppliers receive not only a fairer price but also access to the Fairtrade Premium—an additional sum that allows cooperatives to invest in local development projects.
“Since embarking on our partnership with Fairtrade, we have generated more than US$8 million in Fairtrade Premium, which coffee cooperatives have invested in improving farmer livelihoods and building up their communities. We are proud to be among the most important Canadian Fairtrade coffee importers.”
An opportunity for change
Café William’s commitment to sustainability extends far beyond Fairtrade certification. In 2023, the company launched an ambitious initiative to transport coffee beans by sailboat—a move aimed at drastically reducing carbon emissions in the supply chain. This project, conducted in partnership with the Colombian cooperative ANEI, marks a significant step toward revolutionising the environmental impact of coffee transportation.
This initiative was made possible through a direct collaboration with Fairtrade Canada, which played a pivotal role in connecting Café William with ANEI and facilitating the company’s first sourcing trip to Colombia. The journey provided invaluable insight into the daily realities of coffee farmers, further cementing Café William’s dedication to ethical sourcing. Even Fairtrade Canada’s CEO, Julie Francoeur, joined the experience, underscoring the significance of the partnership.
“The partnership established between the ANEI cooperative and Café William is a perfect example of what Fairtrade is all about: weaving a link from farmers to consumers to put trade back at the service of people, not the other way around. For the Fairtrade Canada team, it's a privilege to support the implementation of Café William's visionary dream,” says Francoeur.
Consumer Response
Café William’s dedication to sustainability and Fairtrade has resonated deeply with consumers. The company has successfully positioned itself as a leader in ethical coffee sourcing in Canada, drawing praise from environmentally and socially conscious coffee drinkers.
Through strategic consumer engagement, Café William has fostered brand loyalty by highlighting the real-world impact of its initiatives. The sailboat transport project, in particular, has garnered widespread attention, reinforcing Café William’s reputation as an industry innovator.
By integrating sustainability at every level—from sourcing and transportation to consumer education—Café William continues to lead by example. Its unwavering commitment to Fairtrade and forward-thinking initiatives are setting new standards for the coffee industry, proving that ethical business practices can drive both commercial success and meaningful change.
