After a whirlwind 2023, there was no slowing down for our team in 2024!
In a year that brought much change, some challenges and countless heartwarming moments our team was, once again, moved and motivated by our inspiring coffee communities and the dedication and passion they exhibit daily.
Published 17 Dec 2024
In early March, we were delighted to welcome Fabiano and Silvio to Australia. Key members of our Brazilian supply network and longtime friends and mentors to Melbourne Coffee Merchants, they joined us on a tour across the country, spending meaningful time with customers in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. We feel uniquely positioned to work closely with both producers and roasters, so it’s extremely special to see our friends from both ends of the value chain connect directly: introducing roasters (some who have used Fabiano or Silvio’s coffees for years) to the producers and presenting the vibrant Australian specialty industry to our visitors. Thank you to everyone who received us with such warmth, enthusiasm and curiosity!
After kicking off the Supporting Strong Women campaign in late 2023, April and May saw our team traveling again, holding a series of events to build awareness and raise money for the inspiring women of the Rambagirakawa women’s alliance. The response from our roasting partners was simply amazing: so many committed their time and resources or donated directly, demonstrating a willingness and want to advocate for producing groups and foster opportunity. Our fun Rambagirakawa-Rah-Rah events showcased the enterprising attitude of the women — along with their delicious coffees — and applauded the campaign’s participants. Across four cities, dozens of businesses donated over $5000 worth of prizes or goods, attracting hundreds of people who joined hands to celebrate the campaign… and to generously donate!
Ultimately, Supporting Strong Women raised an astonishing $34,189 — three times our original goal and enough to fund 90% of the construction of an early childhood development centre, scheduled to open in early 2025. The enthusiastic uptake of the campaign, along with the joyful experience of sharing the outcome with Rambagirakawa, was a deeply rewarding and motivating occasion for our team, and we are so grateful to everyone who contributed to its success.
Towards the end of the year, we saw C-prices surge to historical highs, driven by weather events in Brazil, changing trade regulations and increased market speculation, and further compounded by currency fluctuations, logistical challenges and rising shipping costs. Such market volatility impacts all parties in the supply chain, something we are keenly aware of in our connecting role between producing and roasting communities.
When times are uncertain or challenging, we return to our founding principles: prioritising relationships, seeking out and incentivising quality, committing to a long-term perspective and delivering empathetic and informed service. In an ever-changing coffee market, we’re staying agile and are committed to supporting suppliers and customers alike.
Providing context and perspective to our customers is a key pillar of MCM’s business. As well as spotlighting the producers whose coffees we source, we endeavour to share broader industry insights to help our customers understand the current landscape and plan their green effectively. In early December, we were proud to launch our new podcast, The Green Delivery. The podcast is simply our team talking to you – sharing our takes on wider industry matters, or insights we’ve gained from our producing partners and on recent sourcing trips. We’re so excited for this new avenue for communication and storytelling — stay tuned!
In October this year, we celebrated our sixteenth birthday, prompting purposeful reflection on the last decade and a half. Overwhelmingly, we are grateful: for our supply partners, whose expertise and dedication facilitates our sourcing efforts on the ground and provide us with delicious, distinct and fully traceable coffee offerings; our customers, who have unwaveringly supported and invested into our approach to coffee sourcing since the early days; and to our knowledgeable and kind team who live out MCM’s values every day. We wouldn’t be what we are without you.
Here’s to more happy times and delicious coffees in 2025!
With love, Team MCM x
