Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT) was founded in the wake of the destruction that was left behind in East Timor after it gained independence from Indonesia in 1999. In 2000, a group of farmers, in an attempt to successfully market their coffee, united to form the CCT.

Today, the organisation has over 19,600 members from sixteen base cooperatives and 494 small-scale farmer groups.

CCT obtained Fairtrade certification from Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) in 2001 and has since greatly benefited from the Fairtrade price.

With additional revenue generated from Fairtrade sales, the co-op has implemented the following programs and services: 

• A healthcare program that includes nine stationery health clinics and 24 mobile health clinics. The clinics see an average of 18,000 patients per month. Services are provided free of charge to all co-op members. 
• A business skills development program that provides members with training in bookkeeping, management, English language and computer skills. 
• A wholesale purchasing co-op that benefits the local community by providing consumer goods at reasonable prices to small retail outlets in rural areas.

To date this, project has assisted over 3,000 members and their families. Equipment upgrades and purchases since establishment include six de-pulping machines and eight fermentation vats.

When choosing coffee from Timor, make sure you choose beans that are CCT Certified, Organic and Fairtrade.  Read more about the importance of Organic beans and why Fairtrade is important in our previous blogs.

Kimberley Coffee Company proudly roasts a stunning East Timor - Timor Leste Fairtrade Organic Rainforest Alliance Single Origin.