Equal Exchange history

Equal Exchange was founded in 1986 by Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal, and Michael Rozyne.

The founders were already in close contact with representatives from a village movement in Sri Lanka, and by 1987 Equal Exchange brought in its first high-quality black tea.

In 1988, the Office of Foreign Assets Control threatened to close the loophole, and Equal Exchange’s founders launched a campaign against the move.

Around 1991, Equal Exchange established itself as a Fair Trade specialty coffee company, offering loyal food co-op customers a store bin system with a full line of beans, decaf coffee, different roasts, and flavored coffees.

By 1994, Equal Exchange was a worker-owned cooperative with 20 members—with departments, managers, and a growing number of outside investors.

Freeze in Brazil causes spike in world coffee prices.1995: Equal Exchange moves from Stoughton to Canton, Massachusetts, and opens new office in Madison, Wisconsin.

Staff defines Mission and Guiding Principles at weekend retreat.1996: Pilot project with Lutheran World Relief.

Calvert Impact Capital made our first loan to Oikocredit, a social impact investor and worldwide cooperative, in 1999.

In 2003, Calvert Impact Capital made its first loan of $200,000 to Equal Exchange, a pioneering Fair Trade and organic food cooperative that partners with small-farmer cooperatives and institutions in over 20 countries.

Equal Exchange opens a new office in Minnesota and installs a new roaster in W. Bridgewater, Mass,. tripling our coffee roasting capacity.2008: Equal Exchange opens a new Café in Boston, and launches Equal Exchange bananas in partnership with Oke USA.

2011: TransFair USA leaves the FLO system and changes its name to Fair Trade USA. Equal Exchange takes public stance in favor of authentic Fair Trade.

2012: Equal Exchange sales hit $50 million.

2013: Equal Exchange invests in Equal Exchange U.K., a sister organization in Scotland.

By 2016, Equal Exchange was well capitalized through a variety of loans, private placements, and even a certificate of deposit program with a regional bank, and they sought further growth to increase their impact on the global food system.

2017: Equal Exchange hosts first People’s Food System Summit for Action Forum members and staff.

2018: Equal Exchange wraps up work on 7 year Cooperative Development Program through USAID, and initiates a new 5 year program.