Our Principles of Coffee Justice

As we start up, we are beginning to build the infrastructure necessary to sustain a meaningful collaboration directly with the communities involved in coffee production. From the rolling hills of the Southwestern region of Ethiopia to the countryside mountains of the Dominican Republic, we are striving to ensure that the experiences of these coffee communities (including our family) actively shape our organizational design, roasting practices, and business decisions by actively seeking out and amplifying their voices, stories and guidance.

We will chose our partnerships carefully. Any supply chain conversation that doesn’t begin with a commitment to fair and ethical sourcing practices is a nonstarter.

All of our operations will support the well-being and fair compensation of the individuals and communities involved in coffee production.

Our partners, thus far, have included Abyssinia Specialty Coffee (a direct trade supplier based in Springfield, VA) and Tenadam International Market (based in Falls Church, VA).

Tinycup's founding is rooted in a commitment to critically examining and challenging colonial and exploitative practices.

We will preserve and elevate traditions and practices of our family and indigenous coffee communities by prioritizing lived experiences as data that informs our roasting and business practices. We willcontribute to movements focused on redistributing power, wealth and access to resources,providing educationand building pathways to racial equity in the coffee industry.

We will operate with a mindset of abudance, not scarcity. This means that we cooperate, show love, share knowledge, and spend time with our peers and learn from our elders in the coffee industry.

We pay respect to, and have been inspired by, the work of pioneers in coffee to, not only bring quality product to the market but, demand gender and racial equity along the way. We will consistently promote all of the achievements, organizing, education, anti-gentrification and decolonization efforts of our brothers and sisters in coffee across the country and world—from Oakland to Memphis, Atlanta to the DMV, East Africa to West Africa, Brazil to the Dominican Republic. We look forward to growing meaningful friendships and partnerships with you.

We aim to design products, packaging, and materials that are accessible, inclusive, and sustainable. We incorporate principles of equity-centered and human-centered design, and continuously seek new ways to ensure that everyone can have meaningful experiences with coffee. Additionally, we consider the long-term impact on the environment and strive to eliminate negative outcomes for the planet. We are committed to accountability and ongoing improvement in our practices.

We will be thoughtful and careful about the economic impact of our business operations and aim to contribute positively to the economic well-being of the communities involved in coffee production locally and globally.

We are also exploring investment and wealth-sharing opportunities that will distribute ownership and wealth earned from our products back to our customers and to the coffee growing community equitably.

As we learn more from existing players in the industry demanding racial and economic justice, we will build on and be transparent about our strategies, inclusive of critical elements like equitable market access, fair trade, supportive policies, education and training, and more.

For now, we stand ready to support efforts by organizations like the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity.

As we grow and learn, we are actively seeking ways to increase transparency about our products and business practices. We will hold ourselves accountable for our stated claims and ultimately our impact on communities, the environment, and social justice.

Additionally, we will be supportive friends and colleagues by reciprocating accountability partnership; calling one another in when needed. Furthermore, we will support and contribute to efforts that increase transparency and accountability from the coffee industry.