St Leonards Junior School Explore Fair Trade and Ethical Coffee Sourcing with Bryte Coffee

22 September 2026

The workshop formed part of the pupils’ Unit of Inquiry into Rights and Responsibilities, where they have been learning about fair trade and ethical sourcing, and exploring how the choices made by businesses and consumers can affect producers and communities around the world.

Sam Robertson, creator of Bryte Coffee, shared his experience of running a business and explained why the origin of the coffee he buys and an ethical approach to sourcing are so important. Pupils also joined his partners at Karst Organics online to learn directly about coffee production in Timor-Leste and the process of growing, harvesting and selling coffee.

There were plenty of questions along the way, with pupils getting the chance to see the coffee seeds harvested in the hills of Timor-Leste. The conversation also turned to the finances of the coffee industry, with Sam explaining how the farmers responsible for much of the work do not always receive the same share of its financial benefits.

The workshop built on Year 5’s wider learning about fair trade, which has also included a visit from Trade Justice to hear about its work supporting fair trade, particularly with rice farmers in Malawi. Through their Unit of Inquiry, pupils have been considering the rights and responsibilities of those involved at different stages of production and trade, giving them the chance to connect their classroom learning with real examples from around the world.

Thank you to Sam for taking the time to visit Year 5 and to his partners at Karst Organics for joining the session from Timor-Leste and answering so many questions from Year 5.