A COMMODITY CHAIN ANALYSIS ON FAIR TRADE COFFEE

A COMMODITY CHAIN ANALYSIS ON FAIR TRADE COFFEE

BECOMING A CUP OF JOE… The coffee trees are planted in a shady, warm environment. Planted from a seed the coffee tree takes 3 yrs to grow and then 6 yrs to mature. The coffee cherries are hand picked or picked by machine from the coffee trees Where they are peeled and then laid out to dry and 15 days later the coffee beans are assorted by size. The sorted coffee beans are sold to and then shipped to the seller or roaster. The coffee cherries are ready to be roasted, ground and packaged.

WHY FAIR TRADE COFFEE? �I consume coffee on a daily basis, I have grown to love visiting local coffee shops and trying new blends. � I have recently become interested in my impact on society and fair trade coffee is making a huge difference for people across the world. � I wanted to explore and learn more about this product I have grown to love and consume so often.

FAIR TRADE AND COFFEE Fair trade means that farmers can earn a fair profit for the items they produce and sell. Coffee farmers often are forced to sell their coffee beans to questionable buyers and for questionable prices.

MORE FOR THE FARMER… Notice the dollar amount that goes back to the farmer at the bottom of the map.

BECOMING A FAIR TRADE FARM � To become a fair trade farm, many guidelines must be met: � No Child Labor � No Forced Labor � Health and Safety � Right to Collective Bargaining � No Discrimination � Discipline � Fair Working Hours � Fair Wages

BENEFITS OF FAIR TRADE Farmers can send their children to school instead of using them on the farm. Workers work in safe conditions with safety equipment. Farmers earn more for each pound of coffee. Less pollution as the coffee beans skip various middle men.

Local stores, super markets and coffee shops are noticing an increase in sales of fair trade coffee. Logos help the consumer know when they are buying fair trade coffee. Many towns have lobbied to become “fair trade towns”, such as London, Belfast and many others. Starbucks has even been motivated to create its own program called the Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that draws more attention to fair trade coffee. CONSUMERS AND FAIR TRADE

KONA BLEND OR A COLOMBIAN ROAST? The journey of the coffee bean to a local coffee mug is a becoming a short and fair journey for over a million pounds of coffee each year. Consumers who once found themselves mindlessly purchasing coffee for a quick pick me up can now simply purchase a package labeled fair trade, and find that their actions could change millions of lives.