Coffee that's up to some good

At BIGGBY® COFFEE great coffee doesn’t begin at the cup, it begins with the people who grow it. Which may sound like a marketing message, but here…we really mean it. Since our founding in 1995, we’ve grown to over 450 locations across 13 states—selling millions of cups of coffee over that time.

In 2018, our Co-Founder Bob Fish took a peek behind the “coffee curtain(goes to new website)(opens in a new tab)” and saw things jeopardizing our supply of coffee that he could never unsee. Harmful conditions affecting the people and lands producing coffee. Impacts of climate change, farmers leaving their farms, and an unbalanced global supply and demand pricing system—unfavorable to the farmer, their families, and their communities.

This ignited the spark for change; this created the Farm-Direct model. To strengthen our supply chain and do good.

Our goal is to have a name, a face, and a place for every cup of coffee we serve.

What is Farm-Direct?

One BIGG Island in Space (OBIIS®), is an entity Bob and Michelle Fish founded to help form lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with the people and the lands that produce coffee. OBIIS® is building Farm-Direct supply chains.

Farm-Direct means BIGGBY® COFFEE buys coffee from coffee farmers and producers around the world once OBIIS® has vetted and then cultivated partnerships directly. Bob and Michelle visit every farm discovering producers who treat their people equitably, use sustainable practices, and invest in their communities. Currently at 50%, our goal is to have 100% of our coffee Farm-Direct by the end of 2028.

It can take a lot of time and several visits before a farm becomes a partner, but this work means every cup is traceable back to real people and places. And has a positive impact.

How does BIGGBY® discover its Farm-Direct Coffee?

OBIIS® has a rigorous set of standards defining what it means to be Farm-Direct and qualified to be served at BIGGBY®. The OBIIS® team seeks values aligned producers who already prioritize the same things we do. They collaborate with and support Farm-Direct producer partners ensuring, through visits, sustainable and regenerative farming practices while treating employees fairly.

Through Farm-Direct, BIGGBY® establishes life-long relationships with producers doing the right thing for their people, the planet, and their communities. By going direct with our coffee and supply chain, we can pay farmers an economically sustainable price that supports farm profitability and community investments.

Bob and Michelle develop meaningful and lifetime relationships by meeting the families, spending time on the farms, and learning their stories, that we in turn get to share with you. These ongoing visits are an important part of how we verify upgraded practices and ongoing improvements among these partnerships. Bringing a name, a face, and a place for every cup of coffee we serve.

To learn more about the OBIIS® supply chain discovery process and the stories of our producers, visit onebiggislandinspace.com.

Learn More about OBIIS®