Fair Trade Coffee - Great Coffee that Benefits Growers

Oct 18, 2010
Brenda Lane

Coffee Fields in Nicaragua - Dane Brian

Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world, yet few of the profits make their way to field workers. Learn what you can do to help if you drink coffee.

According to the National Coffee Association, about 80% of Americans drink coffee and more than half of them consume coffee everyday. That number translates to over 100 million people who start their day with at least one cup of coffee. If you add up all of the java consumed across the globe, that number grows exponentially. About 500 billion people drink coffee, most of them for breakfast!

The Biggest Coffee Growing Countries are Among the Poorest

More than 50 countries across the world grow coffee. Much of the world's finest coffees come from hottest regions including those in Central and South America such as Brazil, Guatemala and Columbia.

However the African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and the Ivory Coast have also become coffee growers. In addition, the Asian countries of Indonesia and Vietnam are now known for their contributions to coffee production. So if coffee production can help to generate income for these countries, why are most of these countries still so poor?

Coffee Profits do not Reach Coffee Growers and Field Workers

Companies like Starbucks certainly get their share of the coffee profits, but it might surprise you to find out who is making the big bucks when it comes to coffee growing, marketing, roasting, shipping and even retail stores.

When you buy a cup of coffee or a pound of your favorite coffee beans from the local shop, here is a breakdown of where your dollars go:

55% goes to the shippers and the roasters
25% goes to the retailers
10% goes to the exporters
10% goes to the growers

As you can see, very little of the money wind up in the hands of the coffee growers or workers in the fields and instead 90% of the profit from that cup or pound of coffee goes to other "middle men" along the way.

Poor Working Conditions and Unfair Wages Perpetuate Poverty

Since the climate is perfect for coffee growing in many of these poor countries, there is no reason not to take advantage of this cash crop. However, according to organizations such as Global Exchange, one of the biggest problems about the coffee industry is that many of the field workers suffer in conditions that are essentially "sweatshops in the fields."

For example, a typical field worker on a coffee plantation makes about $3.20 a day. These unfair wages often perpetuate poverty over several generations of families who work hard to support themselves, but cannot manage to do so with such low wages. Unsafe working conditions also put the health of farmers and field workers at risk.

Not to mention that many of these farms include workers who are children. According to UNICEF, 70% of children in some of the poorest countries around the world work in agricultural fields without any protection from labor laws.

Fair Trade Coffee - Why Buy it?

What if you are a coffee drinker who enjoys good quality coffee but you want to be socially responsible and not contribute to poverty in other countries? One solution is to buy fair trade coffees. These coffees eliminate a good portion of the middlemen profits and help to put more profits in the hands of the field workers and growers.

So where can you get good quality fair trade coffees? You may find brands of fair trade coffee right in your grocery store. A good rule of thumb is that if the label on the package of coffee does not include "fair trade" in the description, it is not a fair trade coffee. You might be surprised to find out that fair trade coffee prices are often equivalent to traditional coffees. Coffee drinkers can even purchase fair trade coffees online from companies who purchase them directly from coffee growers.

Here is a list of some of the best fair trade coffees available for purchase online. Most of these growers sell fair trade coffees that are also certified as organic and eco-friendly.

Dean's Beans - sells only high quality fair trade coffees that are also organic at reasonable prices.
Grounds for Change - sell organic fair trade coffees at prices comparable to traditional coffees.
As Green as it Gets - sells fair trade coffees and other products directly from growers and artisans in Guatemala.
Equal Exchange Co-op - sell organic, fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and snacks from co-ops around the world.

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