OAKLAND, Calif., U.S. — Saturday, September 29th is National Coffee Day and Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, has launched its #JUSTONECUP campaign to remind coffee drinkers of the the importance of choosing Fair Trade.
Americans drink around 400 million cups of coffee every day in today’s grab-and-go culture where it is easy to forget that there was actually nothing free, quick, or easy about the journey behind the global industry.
On Monday, August 20th, the New York C price (price of coffee as a commodity and the foundation of the majority of coffee transactions) dropped below $1 per pound for the first time since 2006.
While the $1 mark is an important psychological marker, prices have been unsustainably low for years and now, coffee farmers remain more vulnerable than ever before — struggling to cover debts, meeting urgent family needs, and maintaining expenses of farms.
Despite the current bleak state of the coffee market, the power to cause a shift is in the consumers’ hands by seeking out the Fair Trade Certified™ seal when they shop. Fair Trade standards protect farmers from dramatic dips in the market price by requiring a floor price of $1.40/pound with an additional $.30 for Organic coffee.
Additionally, for every pound of Fair Trade Certified coffee sold, farmers earn an additional $0.20 premium on top of the sale price. These earnings are placed into a Community Development Fund to be invested in critical community projects like education, healthcare, and quality improvement.
This fund ensures that shoppers can have a direct impact on the farmers’ lives and address their most important needs each time they purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee.
“Purchasing a single cup of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee can help drive millions of dollars back to coffee producers who depend on the crop to support their families, protect the environment, and invest in their communities,” said Ben Zwerling Baltrushes, Fair Trade USA’s Vice President of Coffee. “We must continue to fight for these small-scale farmers who face a direct challenge to their livelihoods when the price paid for coffee gets this low.”
In honor of National Coffee Day, Fair Trade USA is challenging consumers to make #JustOneCup of their daily coffee Fair Trade Certified. This simple change (even just for one day) will generate more than $2 million additional dollars for coffee farmers throughout the world, helping to build sustainable livelihoods for countless families and a ready supply of specialty coffee for generations to come.
Several coffee brands have partnered with Fair Trade USA to bring exclusive online deals on Fair Trade Certified™ coffee to consumers on National Coffee Day. Consumers can celebrate the morning-of with a cup that counts towards a better future for those farmers. All of the available discounts can be found here and are valid through September 29, 2018.
- Allegro
- Disney via Joffrey’s
- Mountanos Family Coffee & Tea Company
- Wandering Bear
- Laughing Man
- Equator Coffee
- Member’s Mark
- Jittery John’s
- Taylor Lane
- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
- HeyDay
- Brandless
