The Coffee Market is at a 13-Year High—But Farmers Aren’t Feeling the Benefits
The global coffee market is making headlines as prices soar to their highest levels in 13 years. On the surface, this might seem like a win for the coffee industry. But here’s the unfortunate reality: the farmers who grow your coffee aren’t the ones reaping the rewards.
This is the stark truth about the C Market, the stock exchange where coffee is traded globally. While it may set the price for coffee on a speculative level, it has no connection to the real costs of growing coffee or the hard work happening at the farm level. Farmers, who face rising input costs for essentials like fertilizers, tools, and labor, often see little to no benefit from these price hikes.
What Is the C Market?
The C Market is essentially the stock exchange for coffee, where prices are dictated by global traders rather than the actual costs of production. It’s driven by supply, demand, and speculation, not by the financial realities of farmers’ lives.
When prices climb, you might think this means better pay for the farmers. However, the truth is far from that. The increased profits are often absorbed by middlemen—exporters, importers, and certifying bodies—rather than being passed on to the farmers themselves. Many of these organizations hide behind “certifications” that promise ethical practices but often fail to deliver meaningful change for producers.
The Growing Coffee Crisis
This disparity is exacerbating what’s known as the Coffee Crisis. Farmers are left earning below the cost of production, creating a cycle of debt and financial instability. Meanwhile, the rising costs of farming make it even harder for them to break even, let alone thrive.
This broken system isn’t just unsustainable—it’s unjust. As consumers, we need to ask tough questions about where our coffee comes from, how it’s sourced, and who benefits from its sale.
How Road Coffee Is Changing the Story
At Road Coffee, we believe coffee can be a force for good. Our BeyondFair program is designed to tackle the root causes of the Coffee Crisis by:
- Paying farmers above the cost of production.
- Providing micro-loans to support financial independence.
- Cutting out unnecessary middlemen to create a more direct and transparent supply chain.
Every bag of Road Coffee contributes to solving this crisis. By choosing our coffee, you’re supporting a model that puts farmers first—ensuring they not only survive but thrive.
How You Can Make a Difference
No matter where you purchase your coffee, we encourage you to ask questions:
- Who grew this coffee?
- How much were they paid?
- What do the certifications on this bag really mean?
When you demand transparency and fairness, you become part of the solution. Together, we can close the gap in the Coffee Crisis and build a coffee industry where everyone prospers.
Join Us on This Mission
Each cup of Road Coffee represents hope, fairness, and change. Join us in reimagining what coffee can be—for farmers, for the planet, and for you. Sign up for a 2lb Monthly Subscription and never miss a cup!
Let’s brew a better future, one cup at a time.
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