Bean There Coffee Company

Overview

Bean There was founded in 2005 by siblings Jonathan and Sarah Robinson and was South Africa's first Certified Fairtrade coffee roaster. Operating from 44 Stanley in Johannesburg with a Cape Town roastery added in 2011, the company sources exclusively from African origins — Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, and most recently Uganda — and has built relationships with more than 12,000 smallholder farmers, purchasing over 1.57 million kilograms of Fairtrade-certified Arabica over two decades.

Known for

• South Africa's first Certified Fairtrade coffee roaster (2005)
• Africa-only sourcing model — no coffees from outside the continent
• Direct partnerships with 12,000+ smallholder farmers across seven African countries
• Single-origin focus with no blending
• 1.57+ million kg of Fairtrade-certified Arabica purchased over 20 years

Why it matters

Bean There is the rare specialty roaster whose ethics and sourcing model are inseparable from its identity. The Africa-only commitment forces the supply chain to honor the continent that produces the coffee, and the longevity of partnerships — Burundi's Musema Cooperative since 2010, Kenya's Ruthagati since 2007 — demonstrates that direct-trade rhetoric can be backed by decades of action.

Café

44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg 2092

Recognitions

• South Africa's first Certified Fairtrade coffee roaster

Sources

• https://beanthere.co.za/
• https://44stanley.co.za/blog/2025/9/16/twenty-years-of-seeking-the-best
• https://capecoffeebeans.co.za/blogs/our-coffee-roasters/35824964-bean-there-sas-direct-fair-trade-african-coffee-roasters
• https://www.thewaytocoffee.com/roasters/bean-there-coffee-company/
• https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/special-features/unethical-issues-in-the-coffee-trade/