I disagree with the implication that some dastardly villain is forcing bad #coffee on the locals:
“The coffee that remains is the stuff that wasn’t good enough to export and sell, so by design the locals drink the lower quality coffee." buff.ly/35YvVYo
“The coffee that remains is the stuff that wasn’t good enough to export and sell, so by design the locals drink the lower quality coffee." buff.ly/35YvVYo
Quality coffee normally fetches more money in the export markets of a producing country versus the local markets. The reasons vary but boil down to things like 'who values the quality?', 'who can afford the higher prices?', 'where are the markets to supply said quality?', etc.
There are well-developed markets for quality coffee in places like the US and Europe, where there is both a willingness and ability to pay for quality. However, coffee is mostly produced in relatively poorer countries that lack a willingness and/or ability to pay for quality.
Brazil and Colombia, however, have reached points where they have developed local markets for quality coffee that can compete with export markets. Colombia achieved this through a massive, concerted effort by the coffee industry & the FNC to—among other things—educate locals.
This effort, called the Toma Café program, showed Colombians that they could enjoy coffee in a number of ways via creative coffee recipes, at any time of the day, not just the morning. This program helped to create and fuel demand for locally-produced, quality coffee.
Toma Café also democratized data on consumption and retail sales studies that allowed small roasters and coffee shops to streamline their businesses and to better target the right customers who are willing and able to pay for quality...customers created by the education phase.
"To understand consumption & purshase behavior and
traditions, monitor demand and the substitute categories
offer, Toma Café had a research track with syndicated and
taylor made studies.[sic]" ico.org/documents/cy20…
traditions, monitor demand and the substitute categories
offer, Toma Café had a research track with syndicated and
taylor made studies.[sic]" ico.org/documents/cy20…
"Colombians are drinking 1.8 million bags and because of this increase of consumption, they actually had to now import more coffee from other countries in order simply to supply that consumption." scanews.coffee/video/reco-201…
What is by design is that those who are willing and able to pay higher prices for quality coffee get the product—and this is good for producers, by the way.
The trick is to 1) create the local willingness to pay and 2) create the local ability to pay.
The trick is to 1) create the local willingness to pay and 2) create the local ability to pay.
Programs like Toma Cafè can help create the willingness to pay as well the local markets necessary to deliver the product. The #specialtycoffee industry should be studying the success and techniques used in Colombia to adapt them to other producing countries around the world.
Expanding local markets for quality coffee will keep more wealth locally and allow for a virtuous cycle of growth for producers and consumers alike.
