The Need For Caffeine
A look into the process of making America’s beloved beverage
Written by Rachel Hale, Culture Editorial Assitant
Whether you call it your morning cup of joe, workday java or nighttime caffeine study aid, coffee is undeniably one of the most popular beverages in America. Each day, more than 62% of Americans enjoy one or more cups of coffee (National Coffee Association, 2020). We, coffee lovers, have no problem shelling out steep prices for our morning brew, but how often do we think about where the contents of a $4.65 cup of mocha come from?
While it is sold all around the world, the majority of coffee beans come from an area known as the “bean belt,” the countries that sit near the Equator. The rich soil, mild temperature and abundance of rain in the regions of this area are ideal conditions for coffee plants to grow, from the spicy and smoky flavors of Guatemala to the nutty and chocolate richness of Peru. Aside from this, countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Yemen, Sumatra and India are among other countries that boast their own flavor profiles. Despite being grown in more than 70 countries, almost 70% of coffee is produced in four countries — Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia and Indonesia (Fair Trade, 2020). It is common for companies to use beans from a variety of locations for a wide flavor profile. Starbucks, for example, sources its coffee from more than 400,000 farmers across 30 countries (Starbucks, 2020).
The farm-to-table coffee commodity line follows a general template. Once coffee beans are harvested by farmers, they are hulled and sent for milling at a processor. After being vigorously shelled, the beans are shipped to suppliers and retailers who roast the green legumes of caffeine to various toasted browns depending on the desired flavor. From here, the coffee is sold at the roastery itself or shipped out to various locations, where it is then poured into a steaming cup, placed into our waiting hands.
In recent years, an increase in social awareness regarding globalization has led to calls for more ethically sourced goods. Fair Trade USA is a leading corporation in sustainability, working with more than 975,000 farmers and workers across 45 countries and over 1,250 Fair Trade (FT) certified businesses. Coffee is the largest product under the FT certification, accounting for 48% of all FT farmers (Fair Trade, 2020). Their certification follows social, environmental and economic standards that protect the environment and improve workers’ conditions and livelihoods.
Despite an increase in the number of FT-certified coffee companies, many of the industry’s unskilled workers face low living wages and unstable working conditions. A Harvard University study on the effects of Fair Trade (FT) coffee on Costa Rican households and producers found that while FT certification is correlated with greater sales for businesses and higher incomes for farm owners, it has no effect on unskilled workers (Dragusanu, 2020). Being the most disadvantaged group within the industry, many unskilled workers still do not receive the benefits that Fair Trade companies boast to their consumers in shiny wrapped packaging and colorful advertisements.
Among America’s leading coffee franchises, it’s clear that there’s more than just a difference in taste. Starbucks, which leads America’s coffee chains, uses a vertically integrated supply chain, which it owns in entirety, working directly with its growers and funding more than $14 million in loans for farmers as part of Fair Trade cooperatives. (Starbucks, 2020). Dunkin’ Donuts, in comparison, is owned by the Inspire Brands family of restaurants and outsources its production, utilizing National DCP, a supply chain management company, to serve its franchises (Dunkin’ Donuts, 2018). While Dunkin’ offers Fair Trade certified espresso at some locations, the company as a whole is not FT certified like Starbucks.
In Madison, WI, Colectivo Coffee, Grace Coffee, Michelangelo’s, Starbucks, and (you guessed it) Fair Trade Coffee House are some local corporations that serve Fair Trade coffee. So the next time you’re in the mood for an afternoon pick me up, think about where your caffeine ambrosia is coming from — your tastebuds and morals will thank you.
Sources:
Dragusanu, R., and N. Nunn. “[PDF] The Effects of Fair Trade Certification: Evidence from Coffee Producers in Costa Rica: Semantic Scholar.” Harvard University Publications. Harvard University, January 2020. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Effects-of-Fair-Trade-Certification%3A-Evidence-Dragusanu-Nunn/a6135f17dbef0cbe706eac4be2fe38ba7f0f4d5e.
Dunkin’ Donuts. “Fact Sheets.” 2017-2018 Sustainability Report. Dunkin’, 2018. https://news.dunkindonuts.com/about.
Fair Trade Foundation. “About Coffee,” November 26, 2020. https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/farmers-and-workers/coffee/about-coffee/.
Fair Trade. “Fair Trade Impact – Impact of Fair Trade.” Fair Trade Certified, 2020. https://www.fairtradecertified.org/why-fair-trade/our-impact.
National Coffee Association. “NCA releases Atlas of American Coffee.” National Coffee Association, 2020. https://www.ncausa.org/Newsroom/NCA-releases-Atlas-of-American-Coffee.
Starbucks. “C.A.F.E. Practices: Starbucks Approach to Ethically Sourcing Coffee.” February 28, 2020. https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/.