I Tried This Fair Trade Coffee Subscription Service and I’m Never Looking Back

If there’s one thing I can’t live without, it’s coffee. I’m one of those people who go to sleep at night dreaming of my next cup of joe. Sure, the caffeine is probably what is really driving my cravings, but I genuinely love a good cup of coffee! But recently I’ve started to take coffee sourcing more seriously. Not only do I want it to taste good, but I also want to make sure the companies I purchase from aren’t taking advantage of their coffee growers. This led me to Onda Origins, a “coffee roasting and sourcing company that’s creating a new way of doing business.” They pride themselves on supporting coffee-growing communities — something I value as a consumer. Turns out they even offer a subscription coffee service, so I knew I needed to try it.

At first glance, Onda Origins is a coffee roasting and sourcing company selling high-quality coffee that can be delivered right to your doorstep. But at their core, they are also focused on selling coffee that is equitably sourced. They highlight their coffee farmers and make sure they get a fair price for their beans.

Onda even has a sister company, Yave, that is designed to let “farmers see their products’ end customers and value (enabling fair price negotiation) and lets customers see how much value goes back to the farmer (enabling more informed purchasing).” With every purchase, Onda’s farmers “get a bonus that’s 12x more than Fair Trade.”

You can order single bags of coffee, single-serve coffee, or coffee subscriptions through their site. As someone who goes through a lot of coffee, I went with the latter. The subscription service lets you choose between whole bean, ground for drip machines, or ground for French press. It also lets you customize how often the coffee is delivered — monthly or weekly. The shipping is free and it gets delivered directly to your home.

Yes! The coffee is very good. I’ll admit that I don’t have the most refined palate when it comes to coffee, but I can confidently say that this coffee was bold, bright, and absolutely delicious.

I tried two different coffees. The first was a classic, whole bean coffee I ground myself at home. It was super fragrant and perfumed my apartment. Once brewed, it tasted rich, complex, and balanced. I could easily drink an entire pot of it without thinking twice. The second coffee I tried was a bonus single-serve coffee that brews similar to a teabag. I just dunked the bag in hot water, let it brew, and it made a delicious single cup of coffee. If you frequently crave a single cup of coffee later in the day (guilty!) these single-serve bags would be a great add-on to the whole bean coffee subscription.

Single bags of coffee start at $15, while subscription boxes start at $20, so if you don’t mind spending a little bit of extra money on quality coffee that is responsibly sourced, then yes. And the convenience of having coffee delivered right to your door is worth the extra money alone for the convenience factor! The coffee also simply tastes really, really good! If you want to upgrade the flavor of your morning cup of joe, then I definitely recommend it.

The coffee is good, the shipping makes life easier, and the fact that you know that the farmers are being paid fairly all adds up to a worthwhile service I plan to stick with. Coffee lovers, this is for you!

Have you tried Onda Origins or any other coffee subscription services? We would love to hear all about it!