A Brief History of Coffee

Coffee is the most popular drink in the world. XYZ Coffee Company has provided the public with quality coffee for over 15 years. But where does this magic elixir come from, and what can we do about unfair working conditions affecting coffee growers worldwide?

From Humble Origins to the Pope

According to the National Coffee Association, coffee was first cultivated in Ethiopia after a goat herder noticed the animals wouldn’t sleep after eating coffee berries. The coffee trade started in Arabian Peninsula around the 15^th century. The English word “coffee” is the anglicized version of the Arabic word qahwah.

Coffee eventually came to Europe, where it became a popular breakfast drink. Clergy tried to outlaw coffee, calling the bitter liquid “Satanic,” until it received a papal blessing from Pope Clement VII. After that, coffee grew in popularity throughout Europe and, eventually, the American colonies. It easily outpaced tea in popularity due to British taxes on tea. Thank you, Boston Tea Party!

“Coffee – the favorite drink of the civilized world”

Thomas Jefferson

What is Coffee?

Coffee is produced from the fruit of an evergreen shrub found mainly in tropical regions. Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora) are the most well-known varieties. Brazil is the largest producer in the world, with nearly 2.6 million metric tons produced each year. In the United States, Hawaii is the top producer. Hawaiian Kona Coffee is the market name for Arabica coffee grown exclusively in the Kona region of Hawaii.

Coffee Industry Today

Worldwide 1.6 billion cups of coffee are brewed every day. 125 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Nearly 10 billion kilograms of coffee are consumed each year. Coffee production is labor-intensive, with most coffee berries picked by hand. However, with its flat landscape and more extensive plantations, machines are more common in Brazil. The manual labor involved in coffee growing can lead to poor working conditions for many coffee pickers. Pickers are often only paid based on how much they can harvest in a day rather than receive an hourly wage. This is where the discussion about fair trade comes in.

What is fair trade

The Cambridge Dictionary defines fair trade as: “a way of buying and selling products that makes certain that the people who produce the goods receive a fair price.” It mainly affects small reducers and family farms. Trade is “unfair” when those farmers can’t earn enough to provide for their families. It happens when giant companies take advantage of workers to make a profit. For example, nearly 80 percent of coffee produced worldwide is from small producers, the kinds of farmers who need a helping hand to compete with giant corporations and receive a fair price for their products.

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is a brand name, and the label appears on “certified” bags of coffee, chocolate, bananas, and other commodities. Internationally there is one group that oversees agreements like this. Fairtrade International sets standards for coffee buyers, sellers, and growers that everyone must follow to remain “certified fair trade.”

“Fairtrade changes the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries.”

Fairtrade International

Does it work?

Some say there is a problem with Fairtrade, from coffee quality to micromanaging farm size. Rather than being a vehicle to improve small growers’ economic and social prices, critics say it is nothing more than a marketing system.

However, we believe that just because a system isn’t perfect doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for perfection. Developing countries are still responsible for the majority of coffee grown worldwide. We have a responsibility to ensure that workers are treated fairly. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. In 2016, the Brazilian government raided several coffee plantations where people were forced to work 14 hours a day in the hot sun with little to no pay. XYZ Coffee does not tolerate forced labor and penalizes growers that take advantage of their workers. Fair trade policies may or may not solve every problem, but they can help educate consumers about where we get our coffee.

What are we doing?

We haven’t always lived up to our standards. That is why we are implementing our STOP Initiative to eliminate fraud and abuse in our supply system. Specifically, XYZ Coffee Company will: support unions and better labor standards; terminate relationships with suppliers that use forced labor or falsify data; be open in our communication with the public and our shareholders about supply issues, and partner with technology companies to make it easier to detect fraud and waste.

What can you do?

Fair trade supports communities around the world. You can make a difference in your community by following simple steps. First, shop for fair trade products when you can. Second, look for the Fairtrade label on the products you buy. Third, give back by donating to nonprofits that support fair trade. Fourth, tell your friends and family why fair trade is essential or share the word on social media. Finally, if you own a business, consider becoming fair trade certified.

If you want to learn more, ask the local XYZ Coffee House barista about our Fairtrade blends. Don’t forget, October 1 is International Coffee Day. So stop by and get a free coffee on us.

XYZ Coffee Company was founded in 2005 in Bismarck, North Dakota, as a single-story coffee house serving the men and women working in the state’s oil patch. Today it has franchises in 40 states and eight countries.