I came to CR with very little knowledge of anything to do with coffee. I knew as much as to how my parents brewed and enjoyed their coffee. I personally did not enjoy coffee for anything other than its aroma. But, after spending time examining and researching the coffee industry in CR and around the world, I quickly realized the complexity growing coffee entails on all levels, including a business processes level, social, environmental, and sustainability levels.
Now, when I think of coffee, so much more comes to my mind. I was able to experience every level of coffee production and formed my own ideas on how coffee can become sustainable. Though coffee may be successful in CR, the negative effects of making it successful may be too much. I wonder if coffee production might be better suited, from a sustainablility standpoint, by being produced in other parts of the world.
After seeing the coffee industry in CR first hand, I have come away better educated and prepared to talk about sustainability in a way that can relate to almost any business. The first week's visits to two totally different coffee plantations/businesses really opened my eyes to the sustainability issues the coffee industry faces but moreso, to how these same issues can be applied to other industries around the world.
Since an industry that seems as simple as coffee struggles with so many issues concerning sustainability, it sparked my initial interest into discovering how other industries and companies, with even more complexity, can begin to move towards sustainable practices. Throughout lecture and research for projects, I was able to relate sustainability back to the basic problems the Costa Rican coffee industry faces.
The influence the coffee industry has on Costa Rica's economy will always be a lasting impression in my mind. It will be interesting to follow the country and its progress towards helping the coffee industry become sustainable as I grow into a business man myself. One day it may be possible that CR will be considered a leader of sustainable developement and considered a model nation for forming sustainable industries.
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
More Coffee!!
Touching on some of the environmental risks that coffee poses to CR is important to consider when accessing the success of the coffee industry as a whole. As we have learned, it is not good enough anymore to just be successful from a profit point of view and that companies should now be accessed on their relationship with the environment. In the case of the coffee industry as a whole including in CR, there are a few main problems. These problems include, soil erosion, fresh water contamination, and deforeststation.
Both water contamination and soil erosion are caused in general, by the same thing. In the case of water contamination, rain water runoff carries pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on coffee plants to the fresh water streams and rivers of CR. Also, the growth of coffee results in a large amount of organic waste. Though the organic waste does not seem like a bad problem, it is quickly becoming one. When the waste is deposited, it too runs of into the fresh waters where it promotes plant growth which results in the depletion of oxygen. This depletion kills a lot of the natural wildlife that exists in the rivers and streams.
Soil erosion is also becoming an increasingly problematic side effect of growing coffee. It is believed that up to 2/3 of the land Costa Rica uses for animal pastures and agriculture is at a very high risk of erosion. Since coffee is a permanent crop that requires lots of water and for the most part leaves soil unprotected, the areas where it is grown often see hydro-soil erosion occur.
Lastly, deforestation is also something that should be considered when examining the success of the coffee industry. With demand so high for coffee, more and more biodiverse rain forest is being cleared for the planting of coffee plantations. With coffee plants requiring direct sunlight, areas where it is to be grown are often cleared down to the ground. This clearing results not only in the loss of the trees and other plant life but also in the the loss of animal diversity by their habitats being destroyed. According Chris Willey of Rainforest Alliance, "the monoculture of coffee is replacing the most diverse ecosystem on earth".
The problems that coffee growing pose must be addressed. The industry can not be successful in the mindset of environmental sustainability unless the problems stated above are fixed. Solutions must be found by the industry setting its own regulations along with governments setting regulations. Together, the harmful effects of coffee can be stopped and a new trend of being an entirely eco-friendly industry can begin.
Both water contamination and soil erosion are caused in general, by the same thing. In the case of water contamination, rain water runoff carries pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on coffee plants to the fresh water streams and rivers of CR. Also, the growth of coffee results in a large amount of organic waste. Though the organic waste does not seem like a bad problem, it is quickly becoming one. When the waste is deposited, it too runs of into the fresh waters where it promotes plant growth which results in the depletion of oxygen. This depletion kills a lot of the natural wildlife that exists in the rivers and streams.
Soil erosion is also becoming an increasingly problematic side effect of growing coffee. It is believed that up to 2/3 of the land Costa Rica uses for animal pastures and agriculture is at a very high risk of erosion. Since coffee is a permanent crop that requires lots of water and for the most part leaves soil unprotected, the areas where it is grown often see hydro-soil erosion occur.
Lastly, deforestation is also something that should be considered when examining the success of the coffee industry. With demand so high for coffee, more and more biodiverse rain forest is being cleared for the planting of coffee plantations. With coffee plants requiring direct sunlight, areas where it is to be grown are often cleared down to the ground. This clearing results not only in the loss of the trees and other plant life but also in the the loss of animal diversity by their habitats being destroyed. According Chris Willey of Rainforest Alliance, "the monoculture of coffee is replacing the most diverse ecosystem on earth".
The problems that coffee growing pose must be addressed. The industry can not be successful in the mindset of environmental sustainability unless the problems stated above are fixed. Solutions must be found by the industry setting its own regulations along with governments setting regulations. Together, the harmful effects of coffee can be stopped and a new trend of being an entirely eco-friendly industry can begin.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
More on Coffee in CR
For the coffee industry, the development of Fair Trade Coffee resulted in many advances in the lives of small farmers everywhere and the improvement of their treatment. From Fair trade Coffee, producers receive a fair price at which to sell their products, usually a price that supports a living wage. Other benefits included the end of forced and child labor, the improvement of working conditions from both a safety and health prospective.
Overall, Fair Trade benefits small suppliers of coffee the most but is effective for the whole industry in determining a minimum acceptable price. It provided equal work opportunities for all those interested and also put all processes of production and trade in the public eye. Mostly, Fair trade Coffee ended a time in the coffee industry where small scale producers were exploited for the product at prices not high enough to support their way of life.
Today, the Fair Trade System (which includes the coffee industry), employees over 800,000 people and has organized cooperatives and unions in over 48 different countries. The problem today is that there is still coffee being sold outside the Fair Trade system which hurts all the producers of coffee from a price standpoint. In coffee, the end product is marked with the appropriate logo if it is a Fair Trade Coffee product.
By buying and supporting Fair Trade Systems of trade, the rest of the world can help support industries in developing countries that without this system would lack the structure needed for the industry to be successful for the producers.
Overall, Fair Trade benefits small suppliers of coffee the most but is effective for the whole industry in determining a minimum acceptable price. It provided equal work opportunities for all those interested and also put all processes of production and trade in the public eye. Mostly, Fair trade Coffee ended a time in the coffee industry where small scale producers were exploited for the product at prices not high enough to support their way of life.
Today, the Fair Trade System (which includes the coffee industry), employees over 800,000 people and has organized cooperatives and unions in over 48 different countries. The problem today is that there is still coffee being sold outside the Fair Trade system which hurts all the producers of coffee from a price standpoint. In coffee, the end product is marked with the appropriate logo if it is a Fair Trade Coffee product.
By buying and supporting Fair Trade Systems of trade, the rest of the world can help support industries in developing countries that without this system would lack the structure needed for the industry to be successful for the producers.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Visit to Cafe Britt
On Thursday, we took a visit to Cafe Britt. Cafe Britt is a corporation based in CR that handles all levels of the production process of coffee. Considered a gourmet brand of coffee, Cafe Britt produces both non-organic and organic coffee with their product reaching stores all over the world. The visit included a very informative presentation of how coffee beans or "cherries" are harvested and processed (dried, roasted, and bagged), how to make coffee correctly, and a great buffet lunch.
Some new interesting facts that I picked up while Cafe Britt inlcude, 80 lbs. of pick coffee fruit result in just 3.5 lbs. of ground coffee to be sold. Coffee plants take at least one year of careful nurturing before it is ready to be placed in the field. After a plant makes it to the field, its will produce ¨cherries¨ for approxiamately 40 years. The decafination process can be performed many ways, but Cafe Britt believes that Germany is the best. To decafinate coffee it is soaked in hot water and steam before being roasted. Though I am not completely sure of the steps it takes to decafinate coffee, I do know that it results in 99.9% of caffiene being extracted. This extracted caffiene is then sold to companies such as Coke and Pepsi where they use the caffiene in their products. The last intersesting fact that I learned while at Cafe Britt, is that the coffee in CR got started through what I consider a government program. After recieving Indepence from Spain, the new Costa Rican government was willing to give land and resources to people willing to begin farming coffee. This government encouragement is what led to coffee being such a big player in the Costa Rican economy.
Cafe Britt also was very educational in how to brew and serve a perfect cup of coffee. In brewing, Cafe Britt always recomended brown filters because white filters contain chlorine which can distort the real flavor of the bean. Spring water is also recomended for the same reason of keeping chemicals found in tap water from affecting the taste. While a glass of coffee has a lifespan of 20 minutes, Cafe Britt also said never to reheat coffee or to use grounds more than once. Reheating and reusing results in loss of flavors from the original oils of the coffee bean. In regards to tasting, Cafe Britt said there is a correct way to test the taste of your coffee. This process included testing the aroma, the weight of your coffee grounds, and the way you actually drink coffee. All these little recomendations should result according to Cafe Britt in the perfect cup of coffee where the drinker is totally satisfied.
In comparison to Del Cafe Tal coffee, I found that Cafe Britt´s product did not taste as good. Lunch was provided and was delicious. Seeing Cafe Britt really allowed me to understand coffee production and its benefits and restrictions as far as sustainability. Examining the difference between organic and nonorganic and a small private coffee plantation and a large corporate coffee plantation really helped in my understanding of what is needed for the coffee industry to move forward in CR.
Some new interesting facts that I picked up while Cafe Britt inlcude, 80 lbs. of pick coffee fruit result in just 3.5 lbs. of ground coffee to be sold. Coffee plants take at least one year of careful nurturing before it is ready to be placed in the field. After a plant makes it to the field, its will produce ¨cherries¨ for approxiamately 40 years. The decafination process can be performed many ways, but Cafe Britt believes that Germany is the best. To decafinate coffee it is soaked in hot water and steam before being roasted. Though I am not completely sure of the steps it takes to decafinate coffee, I do know that it results in 99.9% of caffiene being extracted. This extracted caffiene is then sold to companies such as Coke and Pepsi where they use the caffiene in their products. The last intersesting fact that I learned while at Cafe Britt, is that the coffee in CR got started through what I consider a government program. After recieving Indepence from Spain, the new Costa Rican government was willing to give land and resources to people willing to begin farming coffee. This government encouragement is what led to coffee being such a big player in the Costa Rican economy.
Cafe Britt also was very educational in how to brew and serve a perfect cup of coffee. In brewing, Cafe Britt always recomended brown filters because white filters contain chlorine which can distort the real flavor of the bean. Spring water is also recomended for the same reason of keeping chemicals found in tap water from affecting the taste. While a glass of coffee has a lifespan of 20 minutes, Cafe Britt also said never to reheat coffee or to use grounds more than once. Reheating and reusing results in loss of flavors from the original oils of the coffee bean. In regards to tasting, Cafe Britt said there is a correct way to test the taste of your coffee. This process included testing the aroma, the weight of your coffee grounds, and the way you actually drink coffee. All these little recomendations should result according to Cafe Britt in the perfect cup of coffee where the drinker is totally satisfied.
In comparison to Del Cafe Tal coffee, I found that Cafe Britt´s product did not taste as good. Lunch was provided and was delicious. Seeing Cafe Britt really allowed me to understand coffee production and its benefits and restrictions as far as sustainability. Examining the difference between organic and nonorganic and a small private coffee plantation and a large corporate coffee plantation really helped in my understanding of what is needed for the coffee industry to move forward in CR.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Pics from Cafe Britt
From Bottom to top:
View from Cafe Britt´s plantation.
Young coffee plants being nurtured until ready for the field.
Coffee Roaster of Cafe Britt.
Finished product ready for exportation to Miami.
Pics from Del Cafe Tal
From bottom to top:
A view from Del Cafe Tal coffee plantation.
A field of coffee plants.
Coffee fruit with bean inside.
Leftover coffee beans in the sun drying bins.
Myself with Del Cafe Tal´s Coffee Roaster.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Costa Rican Coffee Industry
Coffee production began in 1779 in the Meseta Central in CR. This area contained near perfect soil and climate conditions for the growth of coffee. A native plant of Ethiopia, the blend introduced to CR was first found in Saudi Arabia, hence the name of the type of coffee grown in CR, Arabica. Coffee growing surpassed cacao, tobacco, and sugar in importance to Costa Rica's economy and by the 1830's coffee had become the main agricultural crop of CR. Today, because Costa Rican coffee is so high in quality, it is routinely mixed with inferior beans to make an end product that is up to standard.
Today, according to coffeeuniverse.com, the coffee industry employees over 20 million people, ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars worth of the commodity traded, and with an estimated 400 billion cups of coffee consumed every year, it is the world's most popular drink.
Coffee accounts for just under 10% of Costa Rican exports (in value) and is decreasing due to the industrializtion of CR. Because of very fertile land and an abundance of rain fall, CR is an ideal place to grow coffee. To aide in the ease of exporting and to reduce costs, including those of coffee, CR is actively lobbying to join the NAFTA treaty or to sign a similar treaty with the U.S. and other countries where coffee and other products are heavily exported. CR has also been a part of the Free Trade Act of the Americas which has leveled the playing field for coffee growers. Both NAFTA and Free Trade Act have helped reduce the tax and tarriffs that use to be encountered when coffee was exported from CR. This decrease in cost has allowed the industry to grow even larger.
In CR, abother thing that is improving the sustainablity of the coffee industry is the fact that coffee plantations have been forming cooperatives to not only be able to reduce costs in terms of purchasing certain needs of a coffee farm but also in helping to set prices for their coffee beans that will yield a better profit for the growers. Without the formation of these cooperatives, many coffee plantations would fail due to costs exceeding revenue.
It seems as though the coffee industry has greatly benefited from trade agreements made world wide and that the industry will continue to be a mainstay in the Costa Rican economy because of the strides plantation owners are making to increase their efficiency and buying and selling power.
Today, according to coffeeuniverse.com, the coffee industry employees over 20 million people, ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars worth of the commodity traded, and with an estimated 400 billion cups of coffee consumed every year, it is the world's most popular drink.
Coffee accounts for just under 10% of Costa Rican exports (in value) and is decreasing due to the industrializtion of CR. Because of very fertile land and an abundance of rain fall, CR is an ideal place to grow coffee. To aide in the ease of exporting and to reduce costs, including those of coffee, CR is actively lobbying to join the NAFTA treaty or to sign a similar treaty with the U.S. and other countries where coffee and other products are heavily exported. CR has also been a part of the Free Trade Act of the Americas which has leveled the playing field for coffee growers. Both NAFTA and Free Trade Act have helped reduce the tax and tarriffs that use to be encountered when coffee was exported from CR. This decrease in cost has allowed the industry to grow even larger.
In CR, abother thing that is improving the sustainablity of the coffee industry is the fact that coffee plantations have been forming cooperatives to not only be able to reduce costs in terms of purchasing certain needs of a coffee farm but also in helping to set prices for their coffee beans that will yield a better profit for the growers. Without the formation of these cooperatives, many coffee plantations would fail due to costs exceeding revenue.
It seems as though the coffee industry has greatly benefited from trade agreements made world wide and that the industry will continue to be a mainstay in the Costa Rican economy because of the strides plantation owners are making to increase their efficiency and buying and selling power.
Visit to Del Cafe Tal
Today, Wednseday May 21st, we traveled to Del Cafe Tal. It is a local coffee plantation that just earlier this month won awards as being the best coffee and CR. The owner, Daisy, believed this meant the best in the world as well. On our visit, the owner and the coffee engineer had lots of information regarding how the coffee business works and the challenges that coffee producers face.
This particuler plantation was located at the highest point in which coffee can still be grown successfully. With the high altitude, there are benefits as well as things that make it harder to sustain a coffee business. Benefits include more humidity and moisture which is a definately beneficial right now since the rainy season should have already begun, but has been delayed for some reason. Something that is made more difficult by the altitude is the lack of sun, due to clouds, that this farm recieves. Since Del Cafe Tal dries the coffee beans in the sun, it takes additional time to dry their beans which ultimately makes them less efficient compared to other plantations.
The owner also expressed to us that the coffee industry has two main sectors, Organic and Non-Organic. Tomorrow, we visit Cafe Britt which is an Organic coffee plantation. Del Cafe Tal was bought by the owner that gave our presentation about 10 years ago. She originally wanted to be an orgainic farm, but changed to non-organic when after 3 years. According to her, there are many reasons why organic plantations are harder to make successful. The first seemed to be the difference in production. When her farm was organic at a size of 2 hectares, she was only producing 30 sacks of beans a year. When she switched over to non-organic, she increased her production to 800 sacks a year. The second problem she highlighted was that the increase in the amount an owner can charge for organic vs. non-orgainc coffee is not enough. She estimated that is was only a couple of dollars more per sack. These reasons make non-organic production much more attractive to owners who are really looking to make a profit.
The owner also identified problems with fraud in regards to Organic coffee. To be organic, a plantation`s soil must pass inspections for not having fertilizers and other things. The problem in today`s market is that some companies are marketing there coffee as organic when in reality, it is not. This has lead to the price offered to organic growers being driven down.
Del Cafe Tal was also very interesting because the owner realized the importance of having the ability to process her crops from seed to shelf. This meant that she planted, cared for, harvested, dried, roasted, ground, and sold to customers. Because she has made her farm capable of all these processes, she does not have to rely on anyone else in getting her product to market. This leads to better efficienty and in the long run, lower cost.
Other interesting facts I found by listening to the owner and engineer of Del Cafe Tal included, 7 full time employees and up to 70 during the harvest. Harvest season begins between December and January depending on how ready the bean and fruit are. The bean pickers are paid by how many bushels of beans they bring in and also the proportion of the color of the beans they bring in. The more red the better (as oposed to green). Degradation of the soil is one of the biggest problems that face all coffee growers. Overplanting and water drainage lead to this problem. Finally, because Del Cafe Tal is such a small Plantation, costs for fertilizer and other necesities for growing coffe were expensive. Realizing this, Del Cafe Tal has joined forces with other farms in her area to decrease costs by buying in "bulk".
Interestingly, when Daisy`s plantation won the award as best quality coffee, she almost immediately found she could charge an increased price for her product. She went from charging $1.50 per pound to $15 per pound. She is looking to use this award as a marketing ploy to get her coffee into the top areas of the world (Europe, Japan, U.S.) at the top price she can recieve. The other positive that came out of winning the award was the increase in pride that Daisy had noticed in her workers. Daisy observed that since the coffee product her employees help produce was recognized and awarded, they are more proud of the jobs they do around the plantation and even do more than what they are paid for.
At the end of our visit, Del Cafe Tal provided free coffee. Although it was not brewed from the award winning beans, I do not think it could be much different. I am usually not one to enjoy coffee, but the aroma and taste of Daisy`s coffee was really amazing. I bought 3 lbs. at $10 dollar a pound to bring home to family and friends. I hope they will enjoy it as much as I did.
A post concerning the Coffee industry as a whole is on its way!!
This particuler plantation was located at the highest point in which coffee can still be grown successfully. With the high altitude, there are benefits as well as things that make it harder to sustain a coffee business. Benefits include more humidity and moisture which is a definately beneficial right now since the rainy season should have already begun, but has been delayed for some reason. Something that is made more difficult by the altitude is the lack of sun, due to clouds, that this farm recieves. Since Del Cafe Tal dries the coffee beans in the sun, it takes additional time to dry their beans which ultimately makes them less efficient compared to other plantations.
The owner also expressed to us that the coffee industry has two main sectors, Organic and Non-Organic. Tomorrow, we visit Cafe Britt which is an Organic coffee plantation. Del Cafe Tal was bought by the owner that gave our presentation about 10 years ago. She originally wanted to be an orgainic farm, but changed to non-organic when after 3 years. According to her, there are many reasons why organic plantations are harder to make successful. The first seemed to be the difference in production. When her farm was organic at a size of 2 hectares, she was only producing 30 sacks of beans a year. When she switched over to non-organic, she increased her production to 800 sacks a year. The second problem she highlighted was that the increase in the amount an owner can charge for organic vs. non-orgainc coffee is not enough. She estimated that is was only a couple of dollars more per sack. These reasons make non-organic production much more attractive to owners who are really looking to make a profit.
The owner also identified problems with fraud in regards to Organic coffee. To be organic, a plantation`s soil must pass inspections for not having fertilizers and other things. The problem in today`s market is that some companies are marketing there coffee as organic when in reality, it is not. This has lead to the price offered to organic growers being driven down.
Del Cafe Tal was also very interesting because the owner realized the importance of having the ability to process her crops from seed to shelf. This meant that she planted, cared for, harvested, dried, roasted, ground, and sold to customers. Because she has made her farm capable of all these processes, she does not have to rely on anyone else in getting her product to market. This leads to better efficienty and in the long run, lower cost.
Other interesting facts I found by listening to the owner and engineer of Del Cafe Tal included, 7 full time employees and up to 70 during the harvest. Harvest season begins between December and January depending on how ready the bean and fruit are. The bean pickers are paid by how many bushels of beans they bring in and also the proportion of the color of the beans they bring in. The more red the better (as oposed to green). Degradation of the soil is one of the biggest problems that face all coffee growers. Overplanting and water drainage lead to this problem. Finally, because Del Cafe Tal is such a small Plantation, costs for fertilizer and other necesities for growing coffe were expensive. Realizing this, Del Cafe Tal has joined forces with other farms in her area to decrease costs by buying in "bulk".
Interestingly, when Daisy`s plantation won the award as best quality coffee, she almost immediately found she could charge an increased price for her product. She went from charging $1.50 per pound to $15 per pound. She is looking to use this award as a marketing ploy to get her coffee into the top areas of the world (Europe, Japan, U.S.) at the top price she can recieve. The other positive that came out of winning the award was the increase in pride that Daisy had noticed in her workers. Daisy observed that since the coffee product her employees help produce was recognized and awarded, they are more proud of the jobs they do around the plantation and even do more than what they are paid for.
At the end of our visit, Del Cafe Tal provided free coffee. Although it was not brewed from the award winning beans, I do not think it could be much different. I am usually not one to enjoy coffee, but the aroma and taste of Daisy`s coffee was really amazing. I bought 3 lbs. at $10 dollar a pound to bring home to family and friends. I hope they will enjoy it as much as I did.
A post concerning the Coffee industry as a whole is on its way!!
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