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The roasted and ground seeds of the tropical evergreen coffee plant are used to make the beverage known as coffee. Along with water and tea, coffee is one of the three most consumed beverages worldwide. It is also one of the most lucrative international commodities.

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The roasted and ground seeds of the tropical evergreen coffee plant are used to make the beverage known as coffee. Along with water and tea, coffee is one of the three most consumed beverages worldwide. It is also one of the most lucrative international commodities.

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Enjoy a moment with a Miles tea, coffee or hot chocolate! A delightful range of teas and coffees blended daily by the coast, brimming with West Country warmth.

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In an attempt to obtain cheap labour, the farmers that grow this coffee frequently abuse children and other workers on their farms. These producers use the least expensive chemical pesticides and herbicides while destroying all native trees in order to grow as many coffee trees as they can.

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In an attempt to obtain cheap labour, the farmers that grow this coffee frequently abuse children and other workers on their farms. These producers use the least expensive chemical pesticides and herbicides while destroying all native trees in order to grow as many coffee trees as they can.

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By paying prices that are too low, the coffee business leads to issues with human rights like poverty, child labor, poor working conditions, and environmental damage.

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By paying prices that are too low, the coffee business leads to issues with human rights like poverty, child labor, poor working conditions, and environmental damage.

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How can you be sure that you're buying a coffee that doesn't exploit the people who grew it? The good news is that it's actually easy to support the farmer who has laboured for many hours to grow and process your coffee.

There's an enormous difference between the coffee industry as a whole and the specialty coffee sector. The coffee industry as a whole is overwhelmingly dominated by large, multinational companies which supply cheap, generic products in supermarkets. Specialty coffee roasters make up an incredibly small percentage of the industry and are intimately involved in the entire coffee cycle - from farming, to processing and roasting.

Most of the ethical problems in today's coffee industry occur with poor quality Arabica coffee (ie Arabica which is grown at low altitudes, and poorly processed) and most of the world's Robusta.

This low cost coffee predominantly ends up in jars of instant coffee. Many of the large companies that use this coffee don't purchase based on quality, their most important factor is price - as low as possible. Because the multinational coffee companies are buying in extremely large quantities, it's easy for them to get what they want. It's this type of coffee, grown as cheaply as possible, that leads to unethical practices.

The farmers growing this coffee will try to obtain cheap labour - often exploiting children and other workers on their plantations. These farmers clear all native trees in order to grow as many coffee trees as possible, and use the cheapest synthetic pesticides and herbicides. This is a good reason to avoid cheap, supermarket coffee - not only does it taste bad, but the farmers get a really bad deal.

The past ten or so years have seen the emergence of a growing number of specialty coffee roasters, who have worked tirelessly to raise industry standards and to improve the public's understanding of what's involved in getting coffee from the farm to the cup.

It's encouraging to see a growing number of people thinking about the ethics behind what they're drinking. With the advent of programmes such as Fairtrade and Direct Trade and increasing education, it's becoming much easier to choose coffee that has been ethically grown and processed.

Many people choose to purchase a certified coffee. In Australia, this is predominantly Fairtrade. Purchasing coffee with the Fairtrade certification guarantees that a fair price is paid to the farmer. Provided that the farmer hasn't exploited anyone during the growth and processing of the coffee, a minimum price per kilo is paid, with an additional premium paid for organic coffee.

It's important to note that just because Fairtrade guarantees your coffee has been ethically produced, this doesn't then mean that all other coffee is unethical.

Actually, the best way to buy coffee is to buy based on quality. High grade, best quality Arabica coffee is almost always grown ethically, to attract a higher price.

Through programmes like the direct trade of coffee, specialty roasters' desire for quality coffee is passed on to the farmers, who come to understand what cafes are looking for. As the roasters and farmers work together to improve the quality of the coffee, the coffee attracts a premium price. Everyone wins, with farmers receiving prices that are well above the Fairtrade minimum price and roasters receiving high grade beans. The farmers also learn how to continue to produce a high quality product that people will continue to buy, thus breaking the poverty cycle that many farmers face.

'Direct trade' has become a buzz word in the coffee industry, so make sure that anything claiming to be 'direct trade' actually is. Do the roasters visit farmers and provide education, equipment and other support? An increasing number of cafes and roasters provide information on the farms where their coffees are grown. Look at the farming practices, the provisions for workers, whether the cherries are picked by hand, and whether native trees remain to provide shade.

High quality coffees are almost always picked by hand. This is a laborious process, as cherries don't ripen at the same pace, and pickers must return to each tree several times over harvest. Not only does hand picking mean higher quality coffee, but most coffee farmers would consider it terribly unethical to purchase an expensive piece of machinery that would take the jobs of dozens of local workers.

The best coffee is grown in shade. While farmers selling low quality coffee will clear native trees in order to grow as many coffee plants as they can, farmers growing high quality coffee keep the native trees in place to provide shade for their coffee trees, which encourages a slower maturation of the cherries, leading to a more complex flavour - and again, a higher price.

What about coffee that is not Fairtrade or Direct Trade, and coffee that doesn't come with any certification? How can you be sure that you're supporting ethical farming practices and a fair return to the growers?

Again, the key is in the quality. Farmers growing high quality coffee will almost always be operating ethically. Look at the company roasting the coffee. What are their ethics, are they supporting the push towards higher quality products, assisting and educating farmers? Specialty coffee roasters are all about paying a generous price for high quality coffee, grown in the best conditions, by people who are treated fairly.

At Five Senses, we are committed to promoting ethical farming and processing practices. We do this by fostering relationships with the people who grow our coffee and supporting them with education and equipment. We travel to coffee growing regions all over the world to check out the conditions on the farms we purchase from. We strive to educate our customers about coffee, and provide information to both the cafes we supply and customers at home about the farms and conditions our coffee is grown in. We are grateful for your support and trust you'll continue to help us raise the standards of the coffee industry.

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How can you be sure that you're buying a coffee that doesn't exploit the people who grew it? The good news is that it's actually easy to support the farmer who has laboured for many hours to grow and process your coffee. There's an enormous difference between the coffee industry as a whole and the specialty coffee sector.

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Contribute to the promotion of Fair Trade and trade justice. Be it in your community, church or school activities.

Here are some tips how you can help foster Fair Trade in your own way:

1. Buy Fair Trade products from your local stores and supermarkets, and encourage your family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

2. If your favourite store or supermarket is not selling Fair Trade products, ask the store manager/owner to include Fair Trade merchandise.

3. Organise your own Fair Trade activity to raise awareness of the importance of trade justice, fair prices, fair wages, working conditions, and supporting the livelihoods of small producers.

4. Celebrate World Fair Trade Day. Be an agent for change. Click to know more about the campaign here.

5. Celebrate World Fair Trade Week, and participate in or follow our international activities to know what's the latest in Fair Trade. Learn more here.

6. Download our promotional materials here.

7. Listen to and share the WFTO podcasts.

Good luck, and we want to hear your success stories, too! Tell us how you promote Fair Trade so we can share your success!

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Contribute to the promotion of Fair Trade and trade justice. Be it in your community, church or school activities. Here are some tips how you can help foster Fair Trade in your own way: Buy Fair Trade products from your local stores and supermarkets, and encourage your family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

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Fair trade coffee farmers get paid fairly, and their communities and the environment also gain from their efforts. Through fair prices, community development, and environmental care, fair trade certified coffee directly contributes to a better life for farming families in developing countries.

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Fair trade coffee farmers get paid fairly, and their communities and the environment also gain from their efforts. Through fair prices, community development, and environmental care, fair trade certified coffee directly contributes to a better life for farming families in developing countries.

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Encourage your family, friends, and coworkers to buy Fair Trade goods from your neighborhood shops and supermarkets. Ask the management or owner of your preferred store to carry Fair Trade products if they are not already available.

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Encourage your family, friends, and coworkers to buy Fair Trade goods from your neighborhood shops and supermarkets. Ask the management or owner of your preferred store to carry Fair Trade products if they are not already available.

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Child labor prevents children from getting the best education but when Fair Trade comes in it might be the opposite as the farmers will be getting paid sufficiently.

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Coffee is one of the world's most popular beverages and 80% of it is produced by 25 million smallholders.

Around 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods. It is one of the most valuable and widely traded tropical agricultural products and is mainly produced by smallholder farmers. Many of them however are unable to earn a reliable living from the coffee they produce.

Coffee is well known for being a boom and bust commodity. Global coffee production varies from year to year according to weather conditions, disease and other factors, resulting in a coffee market that is inherently unstable and characterised by wide fluctuations in price. This price volatility has significant consequences for those who depend on coffee for their livelihood, making it difficult for growers to predict their income for the coming season and budget for their household and farming needs.

The coffee supply chain is complex as beans pass through the hands of growers, traders, processors, exporters, roasters, retailers until finally reaching the consumer. Most farmers have little idea of where their coffee goes or what price it ends up selling for. The more lucrative export of green coffee - beans that have been processed ready for export and roasting - is only an option for farmers who are able to form co-operatives, purchase processing equipment and organise export, or hire a contractor to carry out these services.

Why is Fairtrade important?

Fairtrade was started in response to the dire struggles of Mexican coffee farmers following the collapse of world coffee prices in the late 1980s. With Fairtrade, certified coffee producer organisations are guaranteed to receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price for their coffee, which aims to cover their costs of production and act as a safety net when market prices fall below a sustainable level. Through their producer organisations, farmers also receive the additional Fairtrade Premium to invest in business or community improvements. At Fairtrade we care about improving quality, and Fairtrade coffee farmers must use at least 25 per cent of the Fairtrade Premium to enhance productivity and quality, for example by investing in processing facilities. In 2018, certified coffee farmers earned an estimated €76.6 million in Fairtrade Premiums that were invested in farmer services and community projects. Watch this video about the impact of Fairtrade coffee.

Read more about the history of coffee farming, challenges facing coffee farmers and what Fairtrade is doing to make a difference.

Meet Ketra, a Fairtrade Coffee Farmer

Meet Ketra Kyosiimire, a farmer and accountant from Uganda. She explains how Fairtrade has empowered her and her community.

Where to buy Fairtrade coffee

When you choose Fairtrade coffee, not only can farmers build a better quality of life for their families and communities, they can invest in growing better quality beans too.
Find out where to buy Fairtrade coffee.
Our Coffee farmers

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Coffee is one of the world's most popular beverages and 80% of it is produced by 25 million smallholders. Around 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods. It is one of the most valuable and widely traded tropical agricultural products and is mainly produced by smallholder farmers.

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higher demanding companies are paying people a tiny amount of money for the amount of work they are doing, due to this some people are not able to afford simple stuff and maybe even don't have roofs over their heads and leads to them not rise economically fro the good quality coffee.

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Fair trade mostly helps the trade industry generally become kind of more fair thus making it reduced inequalities which particularly is quite significant.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are integrated-they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

The creativity, knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.