Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. We love it! We drink it every day—at breakfast while endlessly scrolling through our social feeds, at lunch when we start to feel that energy dip, after dinner (for the hardcore consumers), in social settings, on first dates… The list is virtually endless. There are more than 300 million cups of coffee consumed every day in the United States alone! And according to statistics compiled by Statista Inc., there have been over 1 billion cups of coffee drunk per year since 2010.
Coffee is also big business: In 2017, nearly $17 billion was spent on specialty coffee (which includes both regular and decaf). However, despite its popularity, most people don’t realize just how important it is for consumers to know where their coffee comes from or how it impacts farmers worldwide. The truth is that there’s a lot going on behind that cup of Joe you’re enjoying right now—and when you purchase direct-trade beans instead of other varieties on the market today (especially those grown in developing regions), you can help ensure that everyone involved wins while also being content knowing where your favorite drink originated from…and what impact buying direct-trade beans has on these communities overall
What exactly is direct trade?
Direct-trade coffee is a business model that allows coffee roasters, retailers, and cafés to buy coffee directly from the farmer. You might think this would cost more, and you’d be right—direct trade coffees are often priced higher than their conventional counterparts. The reason for this is simple: direct trade coffees are all about quality. They’re grown at high elevations and processed with extreme care, using techniques like dry processing (wherein beans are dried in the sun rather than with heaters). These processes produce better tasting beans with superior flavors and aromas that make for an overall better cup of coffee when you brew your favorite roast or espresso blend with them!
Why does it matter?
- Coffee farmers are paid a fair price for their beans. This allows them to support their families and invest in their communities.
- Farmers, in turn, are able to pay higher wages to their workers. This allows families to remain intact rather than necessitating that parents leave home to find a way to adequately provide for their families.
- In Colombia, for example, direct trade has made it possible for farmers to invest in education through scholarships and school supplies. It’s also allowed them to create safe working environments so that young children aren’t forced into labor or exposed to dangerous chemicals.
- When people drink direct trade coffee they’re supporting these types of investments because they know that the money they spend on a cup of coffee goes directly back into the community where it was grown!
Who wins with direct trade?
Direct trade is good for everyone involved. For the farmers and their families, it means a stable income that can be used to improve the quality of life in their local communities. For roasters and their employees, it means paying workers fairly. And as consumers ourselves, we’re able to enjoy better tasting coffee while knowing exactly who produced it and how they were treated throughout the process.
Direct trade isn’t just a trend or fad; it’s a way of doing business that can make our lives better in so many ways!
Direct trade is the key to ensuring vibrant, growing economies in developing communities.
Direct trade is an investment in both your taste buds and the future of our world’s most precious resource: the people who live in it. At Melton Trading Co., our whole reason for existence is to help build a sustainable economy in rural Honduran communities by bringing to market the crops and resources grown locally.
Direct-trade coffee can help farmers, workers, and families in developing communities have a better life. It’s a win/win situation for everyone involved: you get delicious, ethically sourced coffee, the farmers get a fair price for their crops, workers are paid a fair wage, and families are able to stay together and build self-sufficient communities. So the next time someone asks you what kind of coffee they should buy, tell them about direct trade!
