Thread Coffee is a collectively-owned and operated small-batch coffee roaster committed to a transparent model of trade that promotes dignity, sustainability, and solidarity. Through hand-crafted, quality coffee we sew together organizational models based on participatory democracy and self- management.
Who is Thread Coffee?
Thread is collectively-managed by Casey McKeel, Michelle Fleming, and LaKeyma Pennyamon. Casey grew up in her mom’s coffee shop; enamored with coffee from a young age, she was dedicated to helping support a model of trade that shifts power back into the hands of the farmers. Michelle was an idealistic child who was passionate about fairness and animals, they came to Thread to work at the intersection of environmental conservation, labor rights, and delicious coffee. LaKeyma firmly believes that nice latte art does make drinks taste better. She began her work with Thread because learning about the exploitative conditions of most coffee production left a bad taste in her mouth. Together, these three form Thread Coffee.
History
Thread formed in 2012 when three people got together and decided they wanted to come up with a way to be in solidarity with different social movements through the world. Luckily, they also all shared a deep passion for coffee. Combining those two things together, Thread Coffee was born.
Beyond Fair Trade
Thread Coffee works to create relationships directly with farmers, ensuring that producers receive a just price for their beans, and that their coffee is grown in a way that’s good for both the environment and the culture. Thread goes above and beyond fair trade standards to provide a model of trade that is more than just a logo. More and more farmers are expressing that fair trade minimum standards are not, in fact, fair. Thread strives to build a better model by:
- paying higher prices than the fair trade minimum
- establishing long-term, direct relationships with farmers
- supporting practices that protect the environment and the culture
- making a commitment to participatory democracy and collective structure, both here in the workplace and with the farmers
Transparency
In striving to create a better model of trade, transparency is key. Thread works to provide information about our coffee’s journey every step of the way. All of our contracts and financials are open and available to the public.
Revolution through Coffee
Many different social movements throughout the world have turned to coffee as a means of supporting their autonomy. From the Zapatistas and Las Abejas of Mexico, to the women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Thread seeks to work with farmers whose social movements we want to stand in solidarity with.
Check out this video to learn more!
Our Networks
Thread is a part of the Red Emma’s family of projects. We’re also a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. In an effort to avoid taking out a line of credit with a bank or credit card company, we are supported by the radical lending project, The Working World, as well as our incubator project Red Emma’s.
Thread roasts onsite at Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse at 30 W. North Avenue in Station North.
