About us
A trusted partner in coffee trading
With over a century of trading, Equatorial Traders is now led by the fourth generation of a distinguished Gujarati family, whose trading journey commenced in the early 1900s in Zanzibar.
Today the company operates from new purpose-built offices in the historic quarter of King’s in London providing bespoke coffee solutions to a global client base.
Aligned sustainability ambitions
We firmly believe in fostering shared values throughout the entire coffee supply chain. Our affiliate partnerships are designed to benefit everyone involved, from farmers to roasters and ultimately, the consumers who savour every cup.
Well Grounded is dedicated to nurturing a diverse talent pool for the specialty coffee sector by facilitating accredited SCA training, enhancing interpersonal skills, providing personalised mentorship and offering job support.
Our People
Our strength remains in our long-standing relationships, generated from our ability to find solutions to cover the requirements of both supplier and customer whilst upholding the highest standards to ensure our commitments are fulfilled seamlessly.
We have a strong and experienced team managing our logistics, finance operations and trading with many bringing rich experience and skills stemmed from backgrounds in coffee trading and origins from Brazil to the Far East.
Our Partners
A Global Footprint From Europe To Africa
Today, Equatorial Traders offers an established international presence, with operations spanning the UK, Germany, Dubai, Ethiopia and South Africa.
Our International Offices
To support accessibility and streamline trade, we acquired Octagon Coffee GmbH in Hamburg, Germany — strengthening our position in the European market.
In the UAE, our dedicated sales office is strategically located in the DMCC Free Zone at the Port of Jebel Ali, providing access to clients across the Middle East and beyond.
In Ethiopia, we operate through a sole partnership in Addis Ababa, offering upstream quality control, supply chain management, and logistical support directly at origin.
Partnership in South Africa
In 2024, we expanded into Southern Africa through a partnership with Commodifind (Pty) Limited — a significant milestone aimed at delivering innovative solutions and elevating green coffee services in the region.
With Commodifind’s strong local infrastructure and network, and Equatorial’s three decades of experience in the global coffee trade, we are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact. Together, we deliver exceptional green coffee and create real value for clients across the region.
Our Work With Well Grounded
Well Grounded is a social enterprise that empowers people with the skills, training, mentorship and the qualifications they need to access work in the specialty coffee industry. The team is dedicated to nurturing a diverse talent pool for the specialty coffee sector by facilitating accredited SCA training, enhancing interpersonal skills, providing personalised mentorship and offering job support.
We work with Well Grounded by providing office space for their training activities and head-office in London. Our offices are located in the same building meaning that we can maintain a lively, friendly and active relationship with the team. We often collaborate and pull our resources to run coffee tasting events and workshops and provide an industry insight into green coffee trading.
