The US connection – Equal Exchange, Massachusetts

You might know us as Tropical Wholefoods and Equal Exchange, based here in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, but a big part of our story spans all the way to the USA. Both brands are owned by worker owned co-operative Equal Exchange based in Massachusetts and in the last few years we have built a supportive partnership based on shared values and a genuine commitment to ethical trade.

Equal Exchange USA was founded on May 1, 1986 by three New England food co-op workers – Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal, and Michael Rozyne, who believed that trade should mean more than profit only. Their radical idea? Build a worker-owned cooperative that pays farmers fairly, offers pre-harvest credit, and forges long-term relationships with small farming co-ops. 

Taking inspiration from some early European fair traders they created their own system, one that was barely on anyone’s radar in the USA. Rather than squeeze costs to the bone, they committed to paying above-market prices, offering upfront financing, and investing in democratic supply chains. They also set out to show that a company can be successful while owned and run by the people who work there. Democracy was and still is at the heart of the organisation.

Over the years they’ve grown steadily by financing the business through mission-aligned investors and reinvesting profits back into their co-operative. Along the way, they’ve remained deeply rooted in their founding principles, building a more just, democratic food system where small farmer organisations have a genuine seat at the table. 

Today, Equal Exchange sources its products from more than 40 small farmer organisations around the world purchasing coffee, tea, chocolate, dried fruits, nuts and olive oil along with fresh avocados and bananas. Their long-standing relationships mean they don’t just buy commodities but collaborate on crop diversification, quality training, and women’s leadership programmes. 

Of course they have experienced their fair share of challenges over the years and 2025, with the high price of coffee and tariffs to deal with, has been no different. They also received the news that the US government was terminating their contract to run a Co-operative Development Programme on behalf of USAID with no notice period. In response Equal Exchange has set up a Small Farmer Fund to try to preserve some key elements of the work they have been doing since 2010.

Equal Exchange is a thriving model of ethical trade that has exceeded their founders’ original vision. With almost 40 years of experience behind them and a history replete with successes, failures, innovative partnerships, exciting new products, and inspiring stories, they nevertheless acknowledge just how far we all still need to go. It was only a short time ago that the specialty coffee industry dismissed the vision of more equitable relationships with farmers as unrealistic. Today there are at least 500 known industry partners in coffee (i.e. roasters/importers/retailers) currently sourcing under Fair Trade terms according to Fair Trade USA.

For Equal Exchange, “never sell out” means refusing to compromise on fairness, refusing to cut corners for short-term gain, and always putting people before profit. It’s a reminder to us, to farmers, and to you that ethical trade doesn’t just mean doing good; it means standing firm, even when it’s not easy.

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Fancy a little taste of the States? Try our guest range of coffees freshly roasted in Equal Exchange’s West Bridgewater, MA roastery. These coffees are leaving our website soon, so now’s a great time to stock up! Visit our shop page here.

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