Results

We talk a lot about our mission and part of that is being a viable business. So let’s talk about Financial Results.

In 2007, Equal Exchange’s sales were $29 million,
up 24% from 2006.

We also generated earnings of 4%

and declared a 6% dividend for preferred shareholders.

In fact, Equal Exchange has grown sales for each of the last 21 years, averaging 20% annual growth for the last decade. We’ve also been profitable 18 out of the last 19 years and issued a dividend every one of those 19 years, which averaged just over 5%. That’s quite a record. We wanted to demonstrate you can be fair, profitable, mission driven and grow all at the same time. Well, you can. Below is a might pretty graph that shows our sales growth.

21 Years of Sales growth at Equal Exchange

Annual Reports, Audited Financial Reports

Each year we produce a elegant (I think) annual report with details of the year, updates on the farmer partners and full audited financial reports.

Here is the 2007 Annual Report (2Mb, pdf format) for your reading pleasure. If you’d like a printed copy – or several – please drop Terina Barnes an email at tbarnes@equalexchange.coop with your mailing address.

And for a great history you should check out the 2006 Annual Report (8Mb, pdf format). In this report we look back on our first 20 years, starting when ten thousand pounds of “forbidden coffee” from Nicaragua are released from customs on May 1st 1986. It’s available in Spanish too: Reporte Anual 2006 – en español

You can also download Annual Reports from 2000 – 2006 from our main website.