Every morning, millions of people drink their first cup of coffee without considering its origin. Behind this daily ritual lies a world where millions of farmers struggle. The coffee supply chain is full of flavor, experience, and promise, but for many farmers, it primarily means uncertainty.
The farmer: the beginning of everything
Worldwide, an estimated 12 million smallholder coffee farmers are active. Most of them cultivate less than two hectares of land, often with their families. They form the foundation of a global industry but earn the least from it.
On average, one in ten coffee farmers lives below the poverty line, and in some regions, that percentage is much higher. Research by Enveritas and Fairtrade International, among others, shows that approximately 44% of smallholder coffee farmers live in poverty, and 22% in extreme poverty. In some regions, this percentage is even higher. This is despite the global coffee market being worth billions.
For many farmers, this means hard work, low earnings, and constantly balancing between survival and giving up.
Why the chain is so imbalanced
The coffee chain is long and complex. From the farmer to the cooperative, via exporters, traders, roasters, and brands, ultimately to the consumer.
Each link takes a piece of the value, but the farmer is left behind.
Price pressure plays the biggest role. When the international market price drops, the farmer is the first to feel it. Often, the selling price of a kilogram of coffee is lower than the cost to produce it.
Furthermore, farmers are dependent on fluctuating weather conditions and diseases like coffee leaf rust. Without a financial buffer, they can hardly invest in their crops or switch to more sustainable methods.
And then there's the lack of transparency. Many farmers don't know what their coffee ultimately yields or what the consumer pays for it. Research by Maastricht University shows that limited traceability is one of the biggest obstacles to a fair coffee supply chain.
The human side of poverty
Those who earn little have few choices. Many coffee farmers cannot send their children to school or afford medical care. In the months between harvests, there is often too little money or food.
Some families switch to other crops, while others leave the countryside. This threatens to slowly erode knowledge about coffee production.
What is a luxury product for us remains a daily struggle for survival for many of those who cultivate it.
Why this affects everyone
An unfair coffee chain affects not only the farmer but also the future of coffee itself. If farmers do not earn a living income, there is less room for quality, innovation, and sustainability.
Demand for coffee is rising, but the number of farmers who can produce it is falling. This makes the chain vulnerable.
Fair prices, transparency, and direct relationships between farmers and brands are therefore not only a moral choice but also a way to protect the future of coffee.
What Bunafide wants to change
At Bunafide, we believe that real change begins with openness.
We don't claim that the coffee chain is already fair, but we are working to make it so, step by step.
Our approach revolves around transparency over perfection.
We share what we know, and also what we don't know yet. We collaborate with Dutch roasters that have certifications like Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, and Organic, but at the same time, we are building direct relationships with farmers in countries like Ethiopia and Kenya.
Our goal is simple but powerful: a coffee chain where farmers can make a living from their work, where value is distributed fairly, and where transparency is no longer an exception.
Every purchase from Bunafide is a small step towards that larger goal. Because fairness is not an endpoint, but a process we embark on together.
A fair distribution of value starts with knowing where that value currently goes. Curious about what a coffee farmer actually earns per kilogram? View the figures behind the coffee price.
Curious about what this concretely means for the farmer behind your cup of coffee? Read what a coffee farmer actually earns. Do you want the broader picture of the coffee industry as a whole? View the global state of the coffee supply chain.
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