The problem with the coffee industry

Millions of hardworking farmers and workers in developing countries are trapped in poverty, because the volatile price paid for their crops is often less than the cost of production. This uncertainty of pricing through the New York Coffee Commodity Exchange pricing structure, does not allow for these growers to plan any budgets and assumes no certainty of forward pricing standards, unlike any standards within the economies of the consuming countries. In coffee production, there is no subsidising components to uphold prices for farmers, unlike the unequal practices of Governments of major consuming economies. There is no equity in the trading practices.

To support their families, coffee growers are often forced to abandon their crops to search for other work or adopt environmentally unsustainable farming practices, such as using pesticides or clearing rainforests to plant other cash crops, such as chat.

The Fairtrade Solution

Fairtrade coffee requires a fair price to be paid to the grower. This improves living conditions for producers and their communities. In addition, a price premium goes to the grower Cooperative to fund much needed community projects, such as building schools, roads and health clinics and training new skills in agronomy.

Fairtrade Standards also include, fair labour conditions for all workers, reducing child labour, elevating and maintaining bio diversity in their agricultural practices. Regular third party auditing is required throughout the Fairtrade supply chain, including Jasper Coffee, who must submit regular reports and pay levy fees.

Better quality coffee while improving the environment

With better income, Fairtrade enables producers to improve the quality of their product so that we, the consumer, can enjoy these unique flavours in the cup. Fairtrade is re humanising the coffee supply chain….

Some people are worried that Fairtrade coffee is lower quality. This is a myth, just try our Juliet Blend… Fairtrade is in fact an external body that helps build in and audit sustainability and social responsibility standards while also helping farmers to improve their agronomy.

Think of it like a label that takes the guess work out of sustainability credentials. You don't need to trust our word the supply chain is solid. Fairtrade's entire reason for existing is to ensure that is the case while also improving at every step of the way.

Just as you can have high quality or low quality Arabica coffee, you can have high and low quality Fairtrade coffee.

Jasper Coffee sources and roasts high quality coffees from around the world, including all of our Fairtrade specialty coffees!

So you can wake up easy knowing that your next cup of freshly roasted coffee not only smells great and tastes great, but works hard to create a better life for the 1000s of coffee growers that helped get that hot cup in your hands.

Great Choice!