Cafédirect was founded in direct response to the coffee crisis of 1989, when prices plummeted and farmers were struggling to break even, let alone make a profit. In 2010, Cafédirect raised the bar even further and created Producers Direct.

Cafédirect and Producers Direct have worked closely together over the years to help smallholder tea and coffee farmers to build their expertise, improving their crop quality, yields and building their livelihoods.