In 1986, several solidarity groups got together to set up a collective for the direct import of solidarity coffee from Nicaragua and formed the “Mittelamerika Kaffee Im- und Export GmbH” (MITKA). By trading with Nicaraguan coffee, MITKA informed customers about the political situation in Nicaragua. Today, our attention has shifted to the small producers in most Central American countries who through a guaranteed price and by fair cooperation are enabled to produce sustainable high quality coffee and earn a living wage.
MITKA counts nine members ranging from organisations working solely through volunteers to big Fair Trade companies for whom coffee is only a part of what they sell. Together, we are striving to better trade relations and allow for a fairer trade. A team from MITKA travels on a regular basis to Central America for an exchange of information and views with our trading partners. Likewise, members of the cooperatives are invited to come to Germany by MITKA’s members.
Our Trading Principles are:
- buying directly from cooperatives
- paying a minimum price, an organic premium, a fair trade premium, a cooperative premium and quality differentials
- pre-financing
- long-term commitment
- non-profit orientation
- environmental sustainability
- fairness and transparency.
Find more information on MITKA on our website.