Coffee Supreme
On Track*. Says it buys directly and pays fairly, but hasn't published proof.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Independent Wellington specialty coffee roaster.
Coffee Supreme gets most of its coffee from six countries, including Brazil and Colombia, and there's no confirmed labour problem on its record.
* Self-reported. Coffee Supreme is a small, independent business that says it buys directly from named farms. That usually means better prices for farmers, but it hasn't published what it pays or any independent checks, and there's no way yet to confirm that pay reaches the farm workers who pick the crop. If a labour problem is confirmed, it drops to a poor grade. Why we allow this
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Why it's graded On Track
- Graded On Track on its own word, which the rules allow for a small business built around direct trade.
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsSome of its coffee is grown in countries such as Colombia and Nicaragua, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 1
- Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Coffee Supreme's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its coffee is grown
Coffee Supreme names some of the countries its coffee comes from: Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Uganda and Mexico. The rest is shown as where coffee is usually grown.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Colombia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ethiopia | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Uganda | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Nicaragua | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Mexico | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| HondurasUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PeruUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| GuatemalaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: coffee is on the US Department of Labor child or forced labour list for over a dozen countries, and farm-gate prices often fall below a living income. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Direct trade (self-reported)
- Built around direct trade with named farms or producers
- Built around direct trade with named farms, and graded on its own word. Any confirmed labour problem would move it to a poor grade.
Research notes Coffee Supreme buys through long-term relationships with producers it names, including Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza and FAF Coffees in Brazil, Azahar in Colombia and the Mierisch family in Nicaragua, alongside trusted exporters; it also sells single origins from Ethiopia, Uganda, Mexico and El Salvador. It says it pays premiums that support livable incomes but publishes no prices, volumes or share of coffee bought directly. It became a Certified B Corp in 2024 and holds no Fairtrade certification. It does not disclose how much it buys from each origin.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Certified | Coffee Supreme Group Holdings is a Certified B Corp since November 2024, with a score of 85.4. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Coffee Supreme buys through direct relationships rather than Fairtrade certification. View |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Listed | Coffee from Brazil is listed for child and forced labour and coffee from Colombia for child labour. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Coffee Supreme Group Holdings Ltd (B Corp directory) · search the archive · Certified B Corp since November 2024, score 85.4; operates in New Zealand, Australia and Japan
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor · search the archive · Coffee from Brazil listed for child and forced labour; Colombia for child labour
- Coffee Supreme Roastery and Cafe, Abbotsford (Broadsheet) · search the archive · Coffee Supreme roastery and café in Abbotsford, Melbourne, selling its coffee and brewing gear
Published by Coffee Supreme or its owner
- Our Purpose - Better Coffee For All (Coffee Supreme) · search the archive · Named long-term partners: Mierisch family (Nicaragua), Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (Brazil), Azahar (Colombia); B Impact Score 85.4
- Being B Corp: celebrating partnerships that last (Coffee Supreme, 2025) · search the archive · 14-year relationship with FAF Coffees, Brazil; says it pays premiums supporting livable incomes; no prices given
- Quality doesn't happen by accident (Coffee Supreme, 2024) · search the archive · Direct trade or relationship coffee instead of certifications; worker welfare among sourcing criteria; ships from Melbourne roastery
- Proudly New Zealand Owned (Coffee Supreme) · search the archive · Independently owned by founders Chris Dillon and Maggie Wells since 1993; single origins from Uganda, Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia
Company details
- Headquarters
- New Zealand
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Coffee Supreme ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/coffee-supreme, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What On Track means
Better-graded beans and roasters
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Coffee Supreme.