It's about the problem with raw materials

How coffee is traded

Most coffee grown world wide is sold as a raw material, from the coffee growing countries in the South to the main coffee markets in the North.

When you export a raw material, the value is low.

After value addition, as the final product on the store shelves, the value has increased. A lot.

The value has multiplied 4 or 5 times, or more.

This value increase does not benefit the producers of the raw material.


Deep change is needed

We started WIld when we realised this:

Every cup of coffee we consume increases global inequality.

To make a world which is more fair for all, some deep, systemic changes are needed.

We need to turn the coffee industry on its head. 

As a simple symbol to show what we mean, we came up with the concept for Lion's Share Certified.

Introducing Lion's Share Certified


Certified to benefit the country of the raw material(s)


Would you like this seal on your product? Please reach out!

Lion's Share is our proposed certification to support value addition at source

Lion's Share is not an official certification - yet


For now, it is a conceptual certification we are launching as a proposal to the community. We are very happy to receive feedback from and engage in dialogue with all actors working to solve some of the same challenges we are working on.


We would be very happy for Lion's Share to become a trusted certification, managed by an independent body.



How can Lion's Share support you? Let us know!

What are the rules of Lion's Share Certified?

1. At least 50% of the price paid by the end consumer must be going back to the country of origin of the raw material(s)


50% Value Return Rate (VRR) is minimum for Bronze Certificate.

60% VRR is minimum for Silver Certificate.

70% VRR is minimum for Gold Certificate


2. The main company and headquarter has to be registered and operate at the source of the raw material(s)


The certificate will not be given to subsidiaries of companies registered outside of the raw material region.


This is to make sure taxes are paid to the country of origin, and that all high level management jobs are created at source.


3. The certified products need to follow detailed transparency rules


We want the customers of Lion's Share Certified products to know where their money goes through the entire value chain.


Radical transparency for radical impact.

Bronze

Minimum 50% Value Return Rate (VRR).

Silver

Minimum 60% Value Return Rate (VRR).

Gold

Minimum 70% Value Return Rate (VRR).

Is Lion's Share for coffee only?

Definitely not!


Lion's Share should be equally useful for products like cocoa and chocolate, tea, cotton and fashion etc.


There are already very active discussion going on in different industries, with similar challenges as coffee.


Any product with a similar challenge as coffee, where "the rich and mighty" benefit more than those who provide the raw material, could be a candidate for Lion's Share certification.


How about furniture? Skin care and beauty products?


And how about gold and diamonds...?

Together for a better future

It is 2022. Colonialism is over. Slavery is over.

But the world is still far from fair.

Some of our most beloved products are not making things better. Actually, the more we consume them, the more we contribute to global inequality.

To make a world which is more fair for all, deep, systemic change is needed.

Will you join us?

Would you like to join the Lion's Share movement? We would love to hear from you. Please reach out through the form below.

Thank you for reaching out

We look forward to discussing the idea of Lion's Share with you.