1 Oct 2021

Coffee connects the world. Let’s connect fairly - Happy International Coffee Day

By Peter Kettler, GPM Senior Coffee Manager, Fairtrade International


Happy International Coffee Day! Whether it’s your first sip of the day or you’re about to grab your afternoon pick-me-up, we invite you to pause for just a moment and reflect on how this simple brew connects you to the wide world outside your window, and to the more than 25 million coffee farmers who play the most critical role in the coffee supply circle.

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COVID-19 has impacted each of us, illuminating the countless ways in which we are connected, revealing that the decisions we make on a daily basis will likely resonate in communities half a world away. It has offered us the opportunity to reconsider habits, change our priorities, and re-examine our values. Ironically, the act of social distancing may have focused our attention on just how connected we all are, as well as our need to connect with our deepest values on a regular basis.

Coffee, almost more than any other beverage, connects the world. It passes through countless hands on several continents on its journey toward your favorite morning mug. But this long and complicated chain of inter-connected stakeholders has, in recent years, become increasingly fragile. The pandemic has revealed how interruptions in global freight lines directly impact economies, produce shortages and can even affect politics.

While coffee farming has never been easy, climate change has presented an unprecedented wave of challenges that put coffee communities at even greater risk. While coffee traders, roasters and retailers have developed sophisticated tools to help mitigate risk and protect themselves from the inevitable volatility inherent to the coffee industry, farmers face increasing pressure to produce consistent, high-quality coffee in a sustainable manner at prices that often fall below their own cost of production. The traditional model of trade is, quite simply, not sustainable.

Fairtrade is the most recognized and respected ethical seal in the world today, offering the coffee industry and consumers alike with the opportunity to join its global network based on shared values, one that focuses on improving the quality of life for coffee farmers while at the same time delivering even greater quality in your daily cup.

Join us in creating the future of coffee, a fairer future for all.

For more information about Fairtrade and coffee please visit this page