Production & Trade

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.
ride-hailing app uber

What the coffee industry can learn from the ride-hailing revolution

Ride-hailing apps emerged in the 2010s as an alternative to local taxi operators. But, like local traders, they have been vilified in comparison to alternatives.
coffee production esg

ESG is happening – it’s high time the coffee industry took note

The Environmental, Social, and Governance framework heralds a new era of accountability. Failing to acknowledge it will mean missing out in the future.
peru fairtrade

Peru has pinned its hopes on Fairtrade coffee – will it be rewarded?

Today, around 15-25% of the country’s 110,000 farmers are associated with Fairtrade-certified cooperatives. But some believe they could be better served.
el salvador coffee farmers

Innovation and hope can solve coffee farming’s labour shortages

A handful of innovative coffee producers are taking a renewed approach to stem the flow and put El Salvador back on the global coffee map.
yunnan china coffee

As Chinese coffee consumption rises, Yunnan reaps the rewards

As consumption in China grows 15% per year, the state has encouraged a focus on higher quality coffee production in the region.
Colombia's coffee cooperatives

Colombia’s coffee cooperatives face a ‘subprime’ crisis

Over the last few months Colombia’s cooperatives have lost some $120m due to defaults on futures contracts.
el salvador coffee producers

Dollarisation: Why coffee producers are paying the price

On January 1, 2001, the US dollar became legal tender in El Salvador. That same day, the price of goods doubled.
coffee farming in el salvador

Are remittances disincentivising coffee farming in El Salvador?

In 2020, an estimated 23% of Salvadoran families lived on less than $5 a day. The average annual amount sent back per migrant, on the other hand, is $4,300.