Richard has dedicated the past 30 years to connecting coffee farmers to markets that have the most impact on the communities they come from. He pioneered the UK's direct coffee trading in the early 1990s for Cafédirect.

It’s taken him to remote farming communities across the globe in search of small coffee cooperatives. He’s had tremendously exciting and challenging journeys, the greatest reward being the pride farmers took in having their coffee and hard work recognized and rewarded for the first time. Through discovery and development, the cooperatives realised the potential of their coffee.

He explains how this relationship worked for both sides – better income and market knowledge for the seller and better coffee for the buyer.