What is Fair Trade Coffee and Why Do We Care?

Fair Trade Coffee
Fair Trade Coffee

Ordering a coffee shouldn't elicit a sense of panic surrounding whether or not your favorite coffee shop practices fair trade. We aren't suggesting you drop everything and double-check to make sure that the coffee served has been farmed fairly, but we are proposing you gain a little more knowledge about fair trade practices and how they affect one of America's favorite drinks.

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Coffee is something most Americans start their day with and oftentimes finish a meal with. We rarely think about where the coffee in our cups started its journey to get to us - but we should start thinking about the interesting aspects of fair trade that are applicable to Americans.

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Don't throw away all the coffee in your cupboard just because it isn't marked fair trade, but perhaps arm yourself with some facts so that you can be a little more knowledgeable the next time you're cruising down the coffee aisle. These 10 facts are things that you might not have been aware of but they might change your mind about certain coffee choices in the future and show just how easy it is to buy fair trade coffee.

Fact #1

A Fairtrade Premium of $0.20 per pound is added to the purchase price of coffee. It's used by producer organizations for social and economic investments in developing countries where the coffee is produced.

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Fact #2


In 2002, 8 percent more coffee was being produced than consumed, which was devastating for coffee-developing countries; more than 100 million growers, processors, traders, and retailers dependent on coffee were affected. Citizens of countries in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia that are dependent on coffee exports endured drastic cuts in health and education spending by governments, and many faced near-starvation conditions.

Fact #3


Fair Trade Standards for coffee act as a safety net against an unpredictable coffee market.

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Fact #4

Fair Trade-certified coffee is available from 331 cooperatives in 22 countries around the world

Fact #5


In 2012, coffee farmers earned more than $31.8 million in fair trade premiums to invest in their communities and improve the quality of their harvests.

Click Here to see More Facts About Fair Trade Coffee That You Should Know


-Juliet Tierney, The Daily Meal