El Rojito
About el Rojito
editel Rojito is a company that has been dedicated to fair trade for over 35 years. With a focus on fairly traded organic coffee and chocolate, el Rojito emphasizes sustainable and just trading practices that benefit both producers and consumers. The products of el Rojito, including a variety of coffee types and the newly introduced wild cacao chocolate, are available in their online shop, at the café in Hamburg, and in over a hundred retail locations.
Key Products and Services
editel Rojito offers a wide range of coffee products that range from mild to strong flavors. Popular products include the Flor de Café Espresso, the Sandino Espresso, and the La Cortadora coffee. New to the range is the wild cacao chocolate, made from hand-harvested cacao from the Amazon basin, which impresses with its unique variety of flavors. In addition to selling coffee and chocolate, el Rojito also provides solutions for offices and gastronomy businesses that wish to use fair trade coffee.
Mission and Values
editThe mission of el Rojito is to promote a fairer economic order through fair trade. The company aims to question and overcome capitalist and neo-colonial practices. el Rojito places great importance on ensuring that trade benefits all parties involved and that planetary boundaries are respected. These values are reflected in their collaboration with smallholder cooperatives that work without the use of pesticides and receive fair prices for their products.
Sustainability Goals and Initiatives
editel Rojito is actively committed to sustainability and climate justice. The company works closely with MITKA to import fair trade coffee from various countries in Latin America. Regular exchange meetings with partner cooperatives discuss the impacts of the climate crisis and seek solutions together to support the affected producers. Additionally, el Rojito finances its work through a small loan model that allows producers to avoid expensive bank loans and finance the coffee harvest in advance.
Corporate Structure
editel Rojito is a GmbH owned by three owner associations, including the employee association el Rojito e.V. The company employs around 20 staff members who work in various areas such as the coffee warehouse, the office, and the café. Through a participation model, all employees have the opportunity to actively contribute to the corporate structure.
With Christoph Kleine as the new managing director since October 2023, el Rojito continues its long-standing tradition of promoting fair trade as a practical contribution to overcoming global injustices. The company remains true to its original ideals and continuously works towards creating a fairer and more sustainable world.