About Us

The Direct Trade Coffee Club was started in 2009 by Kirby Watson and Chad Morton.

Started as a club to promote direct trade coffee, the Direct Trade Coffee Club believes the practice of direct trade in the coffee business is the best business model for all parties involved in the coffee industry. The coffee club was started as a way to promote the idea and provide a national market place for the roasters who participate in direct trade.

Kirby Watson:
Kirby is a 20 year veteran of online and offline technology businesses. After a recent move to Grand Rapids he discovered MadCap Coffee, learned the basics of direct trade and worked with Chad , Trevor Corlett and Ryan Knapp to refine the idea. Kirby has been married to his wife Jodi for nearly 20 years and loves to bring his dog to work with him. Jodi and Kirby love international travel, scuba diving and technology.

Chad Morton:
Chad began his coffee career in 2005 after traveling to rural Guatemala where he observed severe poverty and decided to do something about it. His first exposure to direct trade occurred when he brought back 20 pounds of green coffee in a backpack. After a lot of hard work and learning, he helped develop a non-profit coffee company centered around the direct trade model. Chad enjoys playing hockey, biking and being with his friends and family. Chad has been married over 13 years, has 5 children and they enjoy culture, camping, traveling and finding adventure in life. For the last 10 years he has owned a procurement business, specializing in helping small to medium sized businesses in sourcing and new market opportunities.

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