Matthew Thornton from Arkena Coffee Marketplace on the Podcast | Week 43, 2025

Note: This week, our Patreon-Only coffee industry insights blog post is: 2026 Will Be the Year Coffee’s Crisis Meets Its Crossroads. Sign up to read it!

Matthew Thornton - Arkena Coffee Marketplace

This week on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, Matthew Thornton, Founder of Arkena Coffee Market and long-time Ethiopia-based operator, joins us for a 5-part series on Responsible Direct Trade Coffee Relationships. From what “direct trade” really means to how risk, finance, and technology reshape buyer–producer partnerships, Matthew offers a grounded playbook for ethical, transparent sourcing.

Why watch

• A practical definition of responsible direct trade (beyond buzzwords)

• How direct relationships can increase farmer net profits, and what it takes to realize those gains

• Risk distribution 101: aligning communication, contracts, and marketing with your supply strategy

• Where technology (AI, blockchain, NFTs, FinTech, “usability tech”) helps, and where it doesn’t

• Clear goals for the next harvest cycle and how to participate responsibly

Episode guide

1. Responsible Direct Trade Coffee https://youtu.be/zDiZ5flCqFY
   Matthew’s path from ecology and Peace Corps to Arkena: exporters/importers, transparency, and where direct trade differs from commercial trade.

2. Benefits of Direct Trade Coffee Relationships https://youtu.be/caxop1x-2aQ
   Evidence from Ethiopia: Higher farmer net profits, rural impact, and the real hurdles - market access, logistics, and finance.

3. Managing Risk in Direct Trade Coffee https://youtu.be/Q0WA2nk5LPA
   Mapping producer and buyer risks; using responsible direct trade to mitigate volatility; aligning marketing spend with supply realities.

4. Technology and Direct Trade Coffee https://youtu.be/cq0YT2La0WY
   What AI, blockchain, NFTs, farm tech, FinTech, and social tech can (and can’t) do; data integrity and crypto payment risks.

5. The Goals of Direct Trade Coffee https://youtu.be/ckxLQy8AsTY
   Setting transparent, farmer-centric goals during a global coffee crisis: why the next Ethiopia harvest matters and what to track.

Connect with Matthew & Arkena
Website: https://arkenacoffee.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkenacoffee/
Email: hello@arkenacoffee.com

Watch/Listen

• YouTube playlist: Click here

• All major podcast apps: The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward

---