Coffee
In Vancouver we drink a lot of coffee. There's a coffee shop on every corner it seems, and downtown is swarming with people with coffee cups-in-hand. We hope the next time you make your next purchase of coffee, you take time to consider the problems with coffee that is not Fair Trade.
The scoop on regular coffee
Up until 1989, the world price of coffee was regulated by the International Coffee Agreement, in a similar quota system to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, in 1989, the United States convinced developing countries to abandon their quotas, and as a result, the Coffee Agreement collapsed. Shortly after the demise of the organization; coffee prices began to spike and drop in an unpredictable fashion. Weather related events such as frosts in Brazil drove up the world price, while over-production in countries like Vietnam drove down the price. This volatility resulted in widespread losses for coffee farmers in the developing world, and coffee prices continue to be characterized by this instability to this day.
This chart shows the volatility of coffee as a composite commodity. From 1998 to 2001, the composite price (world price) dropped to a low of $0.45 cents and stayed that way until 2004. It was only in 2007 when the price of coffee matched the amount it was nearly a decade ago. Although the world price is on the rise, its future – along with the earnings of farmers – remain uncertain.
How does Fair Trade Coffee Work?
Fair Trade Certified Coffee ensures that farmers are guaranteed to receive consistent living wages. Additionally, Fair Trade premiums are added on top of received wages in order to provide education and health care for the farming community. Because it takes about 4 years to reap an appreciable harvest from the time of planting, pre-harvest lines of credit are made readily accessible to all farmers should an unforeseeable event such as a drought occur. Finally, all farmers associate freely and no children under the age of 15 are employed in coffee cooperatives.
The Fair Trade wage is calculated by incorporating living costs and production costs. As a result, the Fair Trade price is almost always higher than the world price of coffee, and the Fair Trade wage will always match the world price should it rise above $1.60. Purchasing Fair Trade Certified coffee is efficient and ethical because everyday shoppers can enjoy high-quality coffee while farmers in developing countries can benefit from higher living standards and healthier lives.
The above chart compares the amount given to producers versus the Fair Trade amount for
Colombian mild, which is a type of Arabica coffee. The Fair Trade price is $1.60 per pound and
includes a $0.10 cent premium. Looking at the graph, a Tanzanian farmer working for a Fair
Trade cooperative earns twice as much than a farmer who sells regular coffee. These earnings are
significant because 96% of Tanzanians live under $2 a day and an extra dollar makes a world of
difference.
To learn more about Tanzanian coffee cooperatives go here
Fair Trade Coffee Available in Vancouver
In Vancouver there is a great variety of Fair Trade coffee for sale. Look for the following brands on store shelves.
Brands that are 100% Fair Trade Certified by Fairtradecanada
Brands that are Fair Trade, but do not exclusively use the Fairtrade Canada Certification System
Brands that carry some Fair Trade certified blends
These brands carry only some Fair Trade blends, please pay attention to logos from certifying bodies:
- Cafe Umbria
- Case Del Caffe
- Esquires Coffee
- Earth's Choice
- Fusion Coffee
- Kootenay Coffee
- Marley Coffee
- Melitta World Harvest
- Moja Coffee
- Nesters Roast Coffee
- One Bean Coffee
- Oughtred Coffee and Tea
- Saphara Coffee
- Seattle's Best
- Shuswap Cofeee Company
- Spirit Bear Coffee
- Stubborn Mule
- Strait Coffee
- Pacific Coffee Roasters
- Reciprocate
- Van Houte
- Western Natural
- Wolfgang Puck
To find your local coffee shop that offers only 100% Fair Trade coffee, go here