Hoppin Hopper

Guide · Coffee brands

Cafédirect coffee: the Fairtrade range and what to buy

Cafédirect sells Fairtrade coffee beans, ground coffee and instant, with organic options such as Machu Picchu and Mayan Gold. Here's the range, what it costs today and how to choose.

By Hoppin Hopper editorial teamUpdated Prices checked 5 min read

Cafédirect was the first coffee brand to carry the UK Fairtrade Mark, and the brand’s own shop sells the full range: beans, ground coffee, decaf and instant. This guide covers what Cafédirect sells, what it cost on 3 Oct 2026, which coffees its site lists as organic and how to pick a bag for your brewer. We haven’t tested this in person. Everything here comes from Cafédirect’s own listings and one supermarket price we checked on 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.

Cafédirect coffee beans: the short answer

Buy Machu Picchu if you want the brand’s best-known coffee. It’s a Peruvian coffee from smallholder farmers in the Andes, sold as beans or ground, and Cafédirect’s listing describes it as organic and Fairtrade.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who likes bright, fruity coffee. Cafédirect describes it as full-bodied with dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut.

Buy Mayan Gold if you prefer a sweeter cup. It comes from Chiapas in Mexico, and Cafédirect describes caramel, brown sugar and molasses notes.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants an espresso-specific blend. Cafédirect sells separate espresso coffees, covered below.

Buy a 1kg espresso bag if you get through a lot of beans. House Espresso was £24.00 for 1kg at Cafédirect, checked 3 Oct 2026, against £6.00 for most 200g bags.

Who it isn’t for: anyone without a grinder. The 1kg bags we saw were whole beans only.

Who Cafédirect is

Cafédirect started in 1991, after a crash in coffee prices. Its own history page says it was founded by Oxfam, Traidcraft, Equal Exchange and Twin Trading, and that it was the first coffee brand to carry the Fairtrade Mark when the Fairtrade Foundation launched it in the UK.

The company also says it was the first UK coffee company to become B Corp certified. It reports £30 million invested in grower communities since 1991, and says it is working with Fairtrade towards paying Living Income Reference Prices to the cooperatives it buys from. Those are Cafédirect’s claims; we haven’t audited them. Its history page also mentions buying Bewley’s UK and the Grumpy Mule brand.

The range and prices

Cafédirect’s shop listed 12 coffees on 3 Oct 2026. All prices below are at Cafédirect, checked 3 Oct 2026.

Everyday beans and ground

  • Machu Picchu: £6.00 for 200g beans or ground, £17.15 for 750g beans. Peru.
  • Mayan Gold: £6.00 for 200g beans or ground, £17.15 for 750g beans. Mexico.
  • Colombia Reserva: £6.00 for 200g ground. From Huila, described as milk chocolate with citrus and stone fruit.
  • Honduras Arabica: £30.00 for 1kg beans. Described as light and smooth, with milk chocolate and nutty notes.

Espresso

  • Familia Espresso: £6.00 for 200g beans. A 100% speciality Arabica blend from Central and South America, with caramel, dark chocolate and a citrus finish.
  • Arabica Espresso: £24.50 for 1kg beans. Described as smooth, with dark toffee notes.
  • House Espresso: £24.00 for 1kg beans. The only blend we saw that Cafédirect says includes Robusta, for a heavier, cocoa-led cup.

Decaf

  • Machu Picchu Decaf: £6.00 for 200g ground.
  • House Decaf: £30.00 for 1kg beans, a Peruvian decaf aimed at espresso and milk drinks.

Instant

  • Machu Picchu Instant and Mayan Gold Instant: £6.60 each for 100g.
  • Smooth Instant: £29.50 for 500g, made with Mexican coffee.

The bigger bags work out cheaper. Machu Picchu beans are £30 a kilo in 200g bags and about £22.87 a kilo in the 750g bag.

Who it isn’t for: anyone wanting pods. Cafédirect says it launched the UK’s first Fairtrade coffee pods, but we didn’t see pods in its shop on 3 Oct 2026.

Fairtrade and organic: what the labels mean here

Every coffee in the shop is presented as Fairtrade. Cafédirect explains that Fairtrade gives farmers price protection plus a Fairtrade Premium to invest in their farms and communities.

Organic is narrower. The Machu Picchu listing is titled organic, and the Mayan Gold and Honduras Arabica pages carry Cafédirect’s certified organic note. We didn’t see that note on the other coffees, so if organic matters to you, check the specific bag before buying. Cafédirect describes organic coffee as grown without artificial pesticides or fertilisers.

Buying in a supermarket

Morrisons listed Cafédirect Machu Picchu ground coffee 200g on 3 Oct 2026; check price at Morrisons. Other supermarkets blocked our checks, so we can’t confirm their prices or which Cafédirect coffees they stock.

Who it isn’t for: anyone after the instant or 1kg espresso bags in store. We couldn’t confirm a supermarket that sells them.

Buying direct: delivery and subscription

Cafédirect’s shop offers free delivery on orders of £25 or more, and charges £2.95 below that, sent by Royal Mail Tracked 48. It delivers to UK addresses only.

Its subscription takes 15% off every bag, with deliveries every 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks. Cafédirect says there’s no minimum commitment, you can mix coffees and you can skip, pause or cancel from your account. For other options, see our coffee subscriptions guide.

Who it isn’t for: anyone buying a single 200g bag. At £6.00 you’d pay £2.95 delivery, so a supermarket may be simpler.

Choosing for your brewer

  • Cafetière or filter: the 200g ground bags of Machu Picchu, Mayan Gold or Colombia Reserva. Our cafetière guide covers the brewers.
  • Moka pot: a ground bag works, though beans ground finer give more control.
  • Espresso machine: Familia Espresso for a 200g bag, or Arabica or House Espresso in 1kg bags.
  • Instant: Machu Picchu or Mayan Gold Instant. Our instant coffee section has wider comparisons.
  • Decaf: Machu Picchu Decaf ground or House Decaf beans. Our decaf vs regular coffee guide explains the differences.

For other beans across brands, browse our coffee beans hub.

FAQ

Is Cafédirect coffee Fairtrade? Cafédirect presents its whole range as Fairtrade and says it was the first coffee brand to carry the UK Fairtrade Mark.

Is Cafédirect coffee organic? Some of it. Machu Picchu, Mayan Gold and Honduras Arabica are listed as organic; we didn’t see that claim on the rest.

How much are Cafédirect coffee beans? £6.00 for 200g of Machu Picchu or Mayan Gold beans, or £17.15 for 750g, at Cafédirect, checked 3 Oct 2026.

Does Cafédirect sell decaf? Yes: Machu Picchu Decaf ground (200g) and House Decaf beans (1kg).

Where can I buy Cafédirect in the UK? Direct from cafedirect.co.uk, and Morrisons had Machu Picchu ground on 3 Oct 2026.

See every pick at a glance

Topics

  • Beans

More in Coffee brands

All coffee brands

Beans

Costa coffee beans: which blends you can buy for home

Costa's supermarket whole beans compared: Signature Blend, Intensely Dark Amazonian and the 1kg Intense Amazonian bag, with strength, beans used and prices checked on 3 Oct 2026.

Updated 4 min read