How You Can Help Poor Coffee Farmers

Coffee is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. run by multinationals and big corporations. But coffee farmers are one of the poorest in the world. How could an industry that spawns a lot of rich traders and businessmen leave the farmers, from where the beans come from, eating the dust?

If you’re a coffee drinker, you can help improve the farmers’ lot. An infographic published by Finances Online shows how American consumers, all 100 M of coffee drinkers a day, kick start the business of coffee the moment they open a bag of beans to brew their morning cup. Together, this huge pool of consumers is the target of the fair trade program, whose advocacy is to ensure the farmers get paid at the right price. Infographic can be found here: http://financesonline.com/heres-how-you-make-coffee-a-billion-dollar-business/ .  

Coffee products that are labeled with the fair trade logo mean the businesses behind them commit to fair prices for the farmer. By buying these products, consumers create a dynamic force that will push businesses to abide by fair trade policies.

To understand the critical role you as a consumer play, the infographic follows the trail from brewing down to farming. The logistics to deliver your favorite specialty coffee alone takes about 7,000 people to run the distribution centers. Roasting coffee is also big business, too, as is putting up shops across the country to make sure everybody gets their daily caffeine ration. In fact, one single coffee house alone can occupy half of the New York Central Park if all its branches are put side by side. More interesting facts can be gleaned at the infographic to illustrate how much your caffeine addiction is intertwined with the poor farmers and the power you can wield to help them.