Tag: farmers

a pair of hands holding cocao beans
industry news, video

Cocao Farmers Are Giving The Chocolate Industry An Overhaul

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There’s a ton of overlap between coffee and cocao. It’s not just in drink recipes, either: both industries face widespread criticism for harmful business practices. Small wonder why terms like ‘direct trade’ and ‘blockchain’ are gaining such traction, right?

Cocao farmers in several African countries have been struggling under poverty wages and brutal working conditions for generations. Business Insider took a deep dive into a Ghanian cocao farm looking to change things from the inside out. These farmers are not just creating the raw product, but also processing and packaging it within the country. This simple change does wonders for increasing their prices, while also eliminating greedy middlemen.

With many coffee farmers leaving the industry for adjacent fields like sugarcane and cocao, here’s hoping these business changes have a positive ripple effect.

fancy cup of coffee
coffee, industry news

An elegant coffee maker made out of gold, silver and diamonds. Sound like a recipe for good coffee?

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Of course not. Doesn’t stop elitism from making the usual rounds.

A new coffee maker has emerged recently, crafted out of the finest materials money can buy. The company Royal Paris claims to bring customers back to an older time where coffee was more appreciated, offering a decadent experience that results in the best cup of coffee. Fortunately for me, I’m too keenly aware of the history of coffee growing, roasting and distribution to succumb to the hype. Sure is pretty, though!

It’s easy to overlook this story as yet more pomp and puffery from the idle elite meant to incite outrage. Last I checked, the very history of coffee itself doesn’t revolve around gilded cups, but a humble, communal experience thousands of years old! Nonetheless, stories like these should concern cafe owners and roasters. This carefully packaged artful elitism is a major issue that keeps the coffee industry from achieving great things.

When left unchecked, these mentalities rot the craft from the inside out.

Continue reading “An elegant coffee maker made out of gold, silver and diamonds. Sound like a recipe for good coffee?” →
a photo of the rwandan landscape
coffee, industry news

How often do you think about where your ethically sourced coffee comes from?

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Not what the ‘ethically traded’ label says or the origin claim stated by the company…but where it really comes from. If you’re rubbing the back of your neck or avoiding eye contact with your screen, rest assured this is a common problem.

Not just among consumers, but among companies and businesses that work in direct trade with coffee farmers. In our whirlwind day-to-day, thinking about just where our goods come from and at what cost can feel like a tall order (pardon the pun). You’re just trying to get through the workweek in one piece! When it comes to positive change, however…now is always the best time for it. From grower to roaster to customer, the journey of coffee is a winding one. One we can neglect on our way to get the most convenient cup.

An ‘ethical trade’ label on a box or recycling claim on a lid isn’t enough. Several troubling developments concerning coffee sustainability and ethical trading have cropped up these past few weeks, showing that green sentiments are often only skin deep. One story analyzing coffee culture in Rwanda — or rather, the lack thereof — speaks to the real disconnect the West has with the rest of the world. Farmers are caught in such a chokehold between consistent production rates and high costs they’re not even able to taste their own creations. To the Western ear, this is completely surreal…

…and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Continue reading “How often do you think about where your ethically sourced coffee comes from?” →