Counter Culture Coffee
Good. Shows the people who make its products are paid and treated fairly.
Partly verified: based on what Counter Culture Coffee publishes, with few independent checks. Researched with AI assistance against published rules. Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources · How we check
Independent North Carolina specialty coffee roaster.
Counter Culture Coffee buys directly from named farms and publishes the prices it pays.
Also worth knowing
It gets its coffee from 19 countries, with about 15% from Ethiopia and 14% from Peru, and is a certified B Corp.
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Why it's graded Good
Meets all 5 Good requirements, and earns 4 stars for going above and beyond.Open why it has this gradeClose why it has this grade
- Met: Meets all 5 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
- Met: Earns 4 stars for going above and beyond.
| Star | Awarded for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Open supply chain | Earned | |
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities | Earned | |
| Pays above a living wage | Not earned | |
| Gives workers a real voice | Not earned |
3 stars for the first way it goes above and beyond, and one more for each further way, up to 6. About stars
Good requirements 5 of 5
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: strong fair-pay scheme (direct trade with published prices)
- Met: Respects worker rights
- 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
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listNames the farms it buys from
Red flags 0
None found.
Where its coffee is grown
Ethiopia 15%, Peru 14%, Colombia 9% and 16 more countries.Open where it's madeClose where it's made
Ethiopia has the largest share, 15%. Peru is next, at 14%.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | 15% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Peru | 14% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Colombia | 9% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Guatemala | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Nicaragua | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Mexico | 6% | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| DR Congo | 4% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ecuador | 4% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| El Salvador | 4% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | High |
| Honduras | 4% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Kenya | 4% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Rwanda | 4% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Uganda | 4% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bolivia | 2% | Regular violations | Not rated | Moderate |
| Burundi | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Not rated | Moderate |
| Costa Rica | 2% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| India | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Panama | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Yemen | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Not rated | Moderate |
Evidence
5 things we found and what 4 independent sources say.Open the evidenceClose the 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 with published prices
- Direct trade (self-reported)
- Built around direct trade with named farms or producers
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Research notes Counter Culture bought coffee from 55 producer partners in 19 countries in 2025, 78% of it from partners of more than five years, and published an average FOB price of $4.18/lb, above Fairtrade minimums. Country shares are by number of named partners, not volume. It does not publish per-farm prices, living income figures or independent price checks. Its Seeds fund gives grants to named producer groups. It is a Certified B Corp (91.9).
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Certified | Counter Culture Coffee Inc is a Certified B Corp since 2020, with a score of 91.9. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not certified | Counter Culture buys through its own direct relationships and does not claim Fairtrade certification. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not assessed | Counter Culture has no Australian operations large enough to report under the Modern Slavery Act. View |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | On the goods list | Coffee from several of its origins, including Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Kenya, is listed for child labour. View |
Sources and actions
6 sources, company details, and how to send evidence or a right of reply.Open the sources and company detailsClose the sources and company details
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Counter Culture Coffee Inc (B Corp directory) · search the archive · Certified B Corp since 2020; score 91.9
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (coffee) · search the archive · Coffee from Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Kenya listed for child labour
- Counter Culture Coffee Slow Motion Decaf (Amazon.com.au) · search the archive · Counter Culture coffee sold to Australian shoppers online through Amazon Australia
Published by Counter Culture Coffee or its owner
- Counter Culture Coffee Transparency Report 2025 · search the archive · 55 partners in 19 countries, partner count per country; average FOB $4.18/lb; 78% from partners of 5+ years; 106 employees
- Counter Culture Coffee history · search the archive · Founded 1995 in Durham; independently owned; Direct Trade policy since 2008; Bay Area roastery
- Hummingbird conservation at Finca Nueva Armenia (Seeds Fund 2021) · search the archive · Seeds fund grant to a named producer partner farm
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 106
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Counter Culture Coffee ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/counter-culture-coffee, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Counter Culture Coffee.
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