Production & Trade

Price guides are flawed

Why coffee price guides are flawed

COFFEE FARMERS work hard to produce consistent harvests year-round, yet they are generally "price takers", especially smallholders. And while the industry is focusing more on transparency on the consumer side, it may not be as effective as we think. A coffee price guide has become an industry standard – a way for roasters to show how much they are paying their producers.

coffee production could be left unprotected from AI

AI will shape the future of coffee production – but who stands to benefit?

AI Is developing at an uncontrollable rate, and the coffee industry is swiftly moving into uncharted territory in which coffee production will be left unregulated. How can we use AI to benefit all in the industry?
The coffee value chain must be reversed

What does it mean to “decolonise” the coffee industry?

For some, the coffee industry’s social sustainability goals are not ambitious enough and the whole supply chain must be decolonised: a scenario in which control over the final product is put back into the hands of those who produced it.
processing micro lot coffee

The coffee industry must demand more from its definition of “micro lot”

The term "micro lot" should denote a coffee that adds value to the producer end, supports growing regions and offers stability. This definition does not have to lose its sense of “quality”, but purchasers need to buy into the sustainability of the coffee they purchase.
us dollar coffee

Coffee’s reliance on the US dollar could be holding it back

The US dollar performs an outsized role as a common currency in the trade of coffee. Is it time to seek alternatives?
deglobalisation coffee industry

A new era of deglobalisation dawns. What does it mean for coffee?

Countries became increasingly reliant on one another following the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Now, the process is in reverse.
fine robusta vietnam

Is Central America under threat from fine robusta coffee?

Some fine robustas sell for little more than a commodity arabica coffee. But there are barriers in the way.
robusta coffee climate change resilience

Robusta is here to stay – but it cannot save the future of coffee

The land available to grow high-quality arabica is expected to predicted to halve by 2050. But we shouldn't pin our hopes on robusta.
colombia's coffee farms

Are roasters gentrifying Colombia’s coffee farms?

The purchase of ailing coffee farms has become a long-term solution for those with the resources to invest in them.
technology gap in the coffee industry

There is a technology gap in the coffee industry

Covid-19 and rising costs have accelerated technology in the coffee sector – but on a farm level, little has changed.
common currency brazil

Why a Brazil-Argentina currency union is bad news for coffee

A monetary union could drive down the global price of coffee – and make farming more expensive for Brazilians.
diego campos pouring eugenioides coffee at the 2021 WBC

Whatever happened to Eugenioides coffee?

Coffea eugenioides burst onto the international scene at the 2021 World Barista Championships. Two years on, it is almost impossible to get hold of.
coffee associations

Direct trade has exposed the fragility of coffee associations

The influence of coffee associations grew after the ICO's price agreement collapsed in 1989. But direct trade now presents a more attractive alternative for many.
coffee cupping water

Water is holding back Latin America’s coffee producers

The cupping table represents a critical moment for coffee producers. But for too many, water is creating unnecessary obstacles.
brazil coffee yields fertiliser crisis

The fertiliser crisis will affect coffee yields and farmer incomes for years

The cost of fertiliser has soared since the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020. The impact of long-term productivity losses is expected to be high.
low c price nasdaq coffee

Does specialty coffee thrive on a low C price?

Some believe that a low C price is better for specialty coffee’s value proposition – but others say this view is too simplistic.
robusta coffee

The robusta coffee craze will not be short-lived

High arabica prices and soaring inflation has triggered a renewed interest in the species.
Honduran coffee producer and founder of Capucas Coffee Cooperative Pedro Romero looks at the camera.

Breaking down the business of coffee cooperatives

Coffee cooperatives have existed since the first half of the 20th century.
Green coffee beans lie on tar to dry out in El Salvador.

Boom or bust? Why Salvadorans can’t agree on the state of their coffee sector

El Salvador’s coffee sector produced an average of 2.5m bags per year in the period 1963-89.
wine industry

Coffee and wine comparisons are flawed – the two industries are worlds apart

Coffee and wine have been increasingly compared since the 1990s. They couldn't be more different.