This International Coffee Day, 1st October 2023, let’s talk about Fairtrade coffee.
Coffee is consumed in almost all countries in the world. However, only a few countries produce it. In the 1960s, the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) was formed in an effort to establish regulation around coffee production, export and prices. Coffee was fast gaining ground as a commodity and safeguards were needed to protect the farmers, the environment and the market.
The ICO was unable to renegotiate new agreements with the participating countries between 1990 and 1992 and coffee prices plummeted, severely impacting the growers.
In 1988 Fairtrade was introduced in the coffee industry but it wasn’t until 1992 that it became the widely known stamp of approval that it now is.
Fairtrade is a certification which can be handed out by various organisations after assessing if coffee production is adhering to the overarching Fairtrade norms. It guarantees that the coffee has been produced in an environmentally friendly way and that the farmers have received a fair price for their produce which allow them to turn a sustainable profit. The Fairtrade certifying bodies, in many instances, run programs for the benefit of coffee producing communities that they work with.
Starting with Mexico in 1992, today all coffee-growing countries, including Columbia, Indonesia, Brazil and India have Fairtrade-certified farms.
For coffee to be marketed as Fairtrade-approved, and this can command a premium, the chain of production needs to satisfy these main criteria:
- 1. Fair Price
- 2. Environmental sustainability
- 3. Fair labour conditions
- 4. Community development
Cafetto supports environmentally friendly manufacturing practices and is ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems certified. Our products are available to buy in most countries participating in the Fairtrade system.
We at Cafetto applaud the hard work of coffee farmers and everyone involved in coffee’s farm-to-table journey. Thank you for making it possible for so many people to enjoy this incredible beverage every day.
Visit our website on www.cafetto.com to find out more about our products.