At a glance
- Roasts inWest Bridgewater, MA
- Founded1986
- Founded byRink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal and Michael Rozyne
- VisitorsRoastery not open to visitors
Equal Exchange is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Massachusetts: an independent roaster based in West Bridgewater, founded in 1986. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.
Their story
Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal and Michael Rozyne founded Equal Exchange around one question: could food be traded in a way that is honest and fair to both farmers and shoppers? In 1986 they took a big risk and began importing fairly traded coffee from Nicaragua despite the US embargo on the Sandinista government, an act of solidarity with Latin American farmers that launched the business. It buys from more than 40 small farmer organizations, all democratically run cooperatives, and works with them on programs such as crop diversification, quality training and women's leadership.
Equal Exchange is itself a worker cooperative. Each worker-owner has one vote, sees the financials and invests an equal share. Top pay is capped at five times the lowest, and surplus profit is split equally among worker-owners each year. Its bylaws include a Never Sell Out clause: if the co-op were ever sold, all net proceeds would go to another alternative trade organization. Headquartered in West Bridgewater, it has offices and warehouses from Portland, Oregon to Cleveland, Ohio, and sells coffee, tea, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and other fair trade foods. It says it is now about 150 times the size it was after its third year.
What they roast
Roast levels run light, medium and dark. House blends include Organic Breakfast Blend, Organic House Blend, Organic French Roast, Organic Love Buzz, Organic Mind, Body and Soul, Organic Women in Coffee Blend, Organic Cloudbreak (medium) and Organic Cold Brew. Single origins on the list when we checked: Organic Guatemala light roast, Organic Peru light roast and Organic Bolivia light roast. Sells organic espresso coffee, including an Organic Espresso Decaf in 5 lb bags for cafes. Organic Decaf, described as the Breakfast Blend without the caffeine, plus an Organic Peruvian Decaf, an Organic Espresso Decaf and a flavored Hazelnut Creme Decaf. Decaf method not stated on the listings read. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-27.
Where to drink it
West Bridgewater is the co-op's headquarters. No cafe or public shop is listed; the coffee sells through grocery stores, food co-ops, cafes, congregations and online.
West Bridgewater is the co-op's headquarters. No cafe or public shop is listed; the coffee sells through grocery stores, food co-ops, cafes, congregations and online.
Address
50 United Drive, West Bridgewater, MA 02379
Headquarters.
Why buying from Equal Exchange matters here
Headquartered on United Drive in West Bridgewater and hiring for coffee roaster, roastery operations supervisor, production and cupping roles. As a worker-owned co-op, it shares surplus profit equally among its worker-owners each year. Runs a Citizen-Consumer community with monthly member meetings and events on food and trade.
Every bag bought from a West Bridgewater roaster pays roasting and cafe wages in Massachusetts, and the coffee reaches you days after roasting instead of months. That is the reason the club exists. Why local roasters matter.
About this listing
Listed as a local favorite. A listing does not mean Equal Exchange is part of the club.
Are you Equal Exchange? Email roasters@baystatecoffeeclub.com to correct or remove this page.
More Massachusetts roasters
- Jaho Coffee Roaster, Salem
- Indigo Coffee Roasters, Northampton
- Acoustic Java Roastery, Worcester