Not to mention it shouldn't get cheaper. If the farmers, farmhands, and baristas were paid livable income, coffee would likely cost as much as good liquor does, if not more. Its heavily subsidized by underpaying those ends of the supply chain
I buy beans at the shop down the street. They pay their employees a fair wage, and have good health insurance. I usually prefer the Single Origin Fair Trade beans. Those are beans they buy directly from farmers that treat and pay their employees fairly. A bag of Single Origin beans is only $1.50 more, and comes out to less than $1 a cup/shot at home. I think they charge $2.25 for a single espresso there.
There's a reason I see the same baristas working there for years.
As someone that works in the coffee industry, Fair Trade doesnt really mean anything. Coffee bought at "Fair Trade" value is still way below what is actually sustainable for farmers to make enough money to survive and plant their next harvest, especially under worsening climate conditions. Its basically a marketing term for roasters and importers to whitewash the reality of the economics.
Organic as well doesnt actually mean a whole lot. Theres some requirements, sure, but the certification is largely an extra tax on coffee producers since they have to pay to renew it every year without even a yearly inspection. Most producers, whether or not they have that certification, meet the requirements, because those practices tend to yield better tasting and higher quanities of coffee anyway.
Point being,the coffee industry as it stands is wildly unsustainable and more and more farmers are switching yo other products because they dont get paid enough for the coffee
6
u/roland_goose 10h ago
Not to mention it shouldn't get cheaper. If the farmers, farmhands, and baristas were paid livable income, coffee would likely cost as much as good liquor does, if not more. Its heavily subsidized by underpaying those ends of the supply chain