Who is each option for?

Hosts who require Fairtrade coffee

If certification is part of the plan for your cream tea, look for a Fairtrade claim on the coffee itself rather than relying on a general sustainability description.

Hosts serving cold coffee at short notice

A concentrate offers a drink you can dilute for guests without preparing ground coffee in advance. Check its certification separately if that matters to your purchase.

Hosts planning for different caffeine needs

Check the caffeine information for the portion you intend to serve, particularly when a guest is limiting caffeine, and have a non-caffeinated drink available.

What should you check before buying?

Decide whether Fairtrade certification or preparation time sets the choice, then check how the coffee will be served and stored.

Make cold brew with Fairtrade ground coffee

Choose this when: An explicit Fairtrade claim matters and you can prepare the drink before guests arrive.

Allow for: The checked ground-coffee pages give hot-brewing guidance, so you will need a separate cold-brew method and a plan for storing the prepared drink.

Buy a cold-brew concentrate

Choose this when: Diluting coffee as guests arrive matters more than an established Fairtrade claim.

Check first: Tesco Groceries identifies its checked concentrate’s coffee as Rainforest Alliance Certified; this does not establish Fairtrade certification.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fairtrade status Look for the FAIRTRADE Mark or an explicit claim covering the coffee on the exact pack or product page. Fairtrade International says products bearing its Marks meet Fairtrade Standards. I want the coffee served at my cream tea to be Fairtrade certified, not simply described as sustainably sourced.
Serving format Check whether the coffee needs brewing ahead or dilution at serving time. Tesco Groceries instructs buyers of its 500 ml concentrate to mix 100 ml concentrate with 100 ml cold water. I would rather prepare drinks as guests arrive; alternatively, I can make the coffee beforehand if Fairtrade certification takes priority.
Storage Read the instructions for the exact drink and its post-opening period. Tesco Groceries says to refrigerate its concentrate after opening and consume it within four weeks. If there will be concentrate left after the afternoon, I need its storage instructions to fit how I plan to use it.
Caffeine Check caffeine information against the portion served rather than judging it by the term “cold brew”. The NHS advises a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy. I want to offer a non-caffeinated alternative and avoid guessing how much caffeine a guest’s coffee contains.

What is easy to overlook?

  • Assuming sustainability labels mean Fairtrade

    Tesco Groceries identifies the coffee in its checked concentrate as Rainforest Alliance Certified. Fairtrade is a distinct certification claim, so the two labels should not be treated as interchangeable.

    If Fairtrade is essential, check the exact coffee for the FAIRTRADE Mark or an explicit Fairtrade certification statement.

  • Forgetting the instructions after opening

    A concentrate can be diluted when guests arrive, but any remainder still needs to be handled as its label directs.

    For the checked Tesco concentrate, refrigerate after opening and consume within four weeks, according to Tesco Groceries. Check the pack you buy for its current instructions.

  • Treating ground coffee as a ready-made cold brew

    The checked Fairtrade ground coffees provide a certified coffee base, while their retailer pages describe hot filter or cafetière preparation rather than a cold-brew recipe.

    Choose ground coffee for this occasion only if you can prepare the cold brew separately and manage storage of the finished drink.

  • Guessing caffeine from the drink’s format

    Caffeine can vary between coffee servings. The NHS advises a maximum of 200 mg a day during pregnancy.

    Check the exact product and intended portion when caffeine matters to a guest, and offer a non-caffeinated alternative.

Which brand references are useful?

These retailer examples illustrate the difference between an explicit Fairtrade coffee claim and the certification stated for one ready-made concentrate.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists both Finest Fairtrade Kenyan Ground Coffee and Finest Unsweetened Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate.

  • The ground coffee has an explicit Fairtrade description; the 500 ml concentrate has stated dilution and post-opening instructions.
  • Tesco identifies the concentrate’s coffee as Rainforest Alliance Certified rather than stating that it is Fairtrade certified.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's describes its Fairtrade House Blend ground coffee as Fairtrade certified, traded, audited and sourced from Fairtrade producers, total 100%.

  • Its product description gives an explicit Fairtrade claim for the coffee.
  • Its stated preparation is for hot filter coffee or cafetières, not a cold-brew recipe.

Waitrose

Waitrose & Partners lists Cafédirect Fairtrade Colombia Ground Coffee, described as Fairtrade-certified Arabica for filter or cafetière brewing.

  • The Cafédirect product provides a named Fairtrade ground-coffee option.
  • Its filter and cafetière guidance is not a cold-brew preparation method.

Joybuy cold-coffee option

This single-serve coffee-liquid option is relevant when you want to make cold drinks for a cream tea without brewing ground coffee ahead. Check its exact pack for Fairtrade status if certification is essential.

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Cold Brew Coffee Liquid, 25 ml × 10 pouches

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Cold Brew Coffee Liquid, 25 ml × 10 pouches

The individual pouches suit preparing separate cold coffee drinks for guests; follow the pack’s dilution directions. The product name states zero sugar, zero fat and dark roast. If Fairtrade certification, caffeine content or coffee made by cold infusion matters, check the exact pack before buying.

View on Joybuy

Questions about Fairtrade cold brew

How can I tell whether the coffee is Fairtrade?

Look for the FAIRTRADE Mark or an explicit statement that the coffee is Fairtrade certified on the exact pack or product page. Fairtrade International says products bearing its Marks meet Fairtrade Standards; for a product containing several ingredients, check which ingredient or sourcing method the label covers.

Does Tesco’s ready-made concentrate meet a strict Fairtrade requirement?

Tesco Groceries identifies its concentrate’s coffee as Rainforest Alliance Certified, which does not establish that it is Fairtrade certified. If Fairtrade is mandatory, check for an explicit Fairtrade claim on the exact product or choose coffee that carries one.

How do I serve and store the Tesco concentrate?

Tesco Groceries instructs buyers to mix 100 ml of concentrate with 100 ml of cold water. Its instructions say to refrigerate the concentrate after opening and consume it within four weeks; follow the current pack for the product you buy.

What should I check if a guest is limiting caffeine?

Check the caffeine information for the exact coffee and portion rather than assuming all cold coffees are alike. The NHS advises a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy; a non-caffeinated drink gives guests another choice.