Why Specialty Coffee Should Cost More

We can't begin to express how grateful we are to have partners like Marianella from @cafeconamor.cr and @cecigenis16 from the Zalmari Estate.??? Our trip to Costa Rica was not only informative, but this was the first time we were able to bring Brewpoint team members and that was truly a transformative experience for all of us. ????

Trips like this make us want to fight even harder for our farmers rights. Here is a quick, simplified example of the business side of the coffee chain here in Costa Rica per our conversations with farmers we met. These details change from country to country, based on crop quality, infrastructure and much much more (it’s amazingly complicated!) but this is a representative starting point to improve our understanding:

?? In Costa Rica it costs a farmer about $1.50 to grow a pound of specialty coffee.

?? In order to mill and store it is another 50 cents.

?? Another 50 cents for export paperwork.

?? Farmers can quickly rack up other costs for things like certifications (fair trade, organic, etc.) more transparency and better data tracking, improving their own infrastructure or dealing with the affects of bad seasons and climate change.

?? Currently the C-market tells us that coffee is only worth about $1.20/pound and fair trade standards are only at $1.40/pound. And while specialty coffee can fetch a better price it requires much more investment.

If big corporations and coffee businesses (including us) keep purchasing specialty coffee for under $2/pound, how will specialty coffee survive? ????

At Brewpoint, we strive to average $3 per pound for our green coffee (keep in mind we still have a lot of costs on our end to get you that delicious brewed coffee you drink at our shops)! ?? Your support of our ecosystem helps communities across the globe in more ways than you can imagine! ??

Lastly, this photo is with powerhouse coffee producer Ceci Genis owner of the Zalamari Estate. Remember in December we said that for every retail bag purchased, Brewpoint would donate $1 to the Zalamari Estate so that they could build a child's play place? ?? This is us giving Ceci $500 towards making the world a better place for their kids. So we want to say THANK YOU to the Brewpoint community again for all that you do in supporting us. ????

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Photos by DreiBerge Coffee