Used to really enjoy it. Worked in speciality coffee for 4 years and realized it's all bullshit. All of that "free trade" or "direct trade" bullshit you're peddled by them is a spook. It just means they pay them ten cents more than commodity prices. It's still an industry that relies on literal slavery.
Used to think the farmers were getting underpaid by these companies but it's actually the coffee pickers. A lot of times the farmers are very wealthy and the pickers are basically slaves coerced into picking coffee beans for these actual plantation owners.
The "mom&pop" coffee shops are a way for these small businesses tyrants to exploit and underpay their workers. The profit margins are fucking enormous and a lot of these places get by with paying their employees minimum wage.
I could go on and not trying to shit on anyone that actually enjoys coffee. Just disillusioned with the whole industry. That said, coffee shops are one place where you can usually find actual leftists. They can be safe spaces for gender non conforming people and I do miss the comraderie with certain people but on the whole it kinda sucked, prob because I live in the south and a majority of our clientele was weird religious white dudes, you know, the "cool" youth pastors with tattoos and likes to call you "brother".
99% of "farmers", at least the ones that hold the political power, get the handouts and have their opinions parroted by the media are actually exploiters and financial conglomerates.
I think what really set me over the edge is when I went on an origin trip. For those that don't know, it's pretty self explanatory: the company/roaster/etc you work for sends you to the origin of where one of their coffees comes from. It's usually somewhere in Central or South America. It's highly coveted in the industry because it's a vacation to a beautiful place vieled as a learning experience. The "learning" is just you and your party gawking at and getting in the way of the pickers and sorters doing the actual work while the farmer shows off their production.
A lot of goofy white dudes in the industry will talk about how this is some life changing religious experience and really makes them appreciative and humble about where their coffee comes from. For me it did the opposite. It shows how fucking terrible this system of exploitation is while we're inside in climate controlled conditions eating food and drinking the coffee that the people are out in the field picking in 100 degree heat for 5 cents for every pound they pick. They wouldn't let us talk to the pickers to ask how they felt. It was basically a fucking resort. These farmers are living so lavish.
Used to really enjoy it. Worked in speciality coffee for 4 years and realized it's all bullshit. All of that "free trade" or "direct trade" bullshit you're peddled by them is a spook. It just means they pay them ten cents more than commodity prices. It's still an industry that relies on literal slavery.
Used to think the farmers were getting underpaid by these companies but it's actually the coffee pickers. A lot of times the farmers are very wealthy and the pickers are basically slaves coerced into picking coffee beans for these actual plantation owners.
The "mom&pop" coffee shops are a way for these small businesses tyrants to exploit and underpay their workers. The profit margins are fucking enormous and a lot of these places get by with paying their employees minimum wage.
I could go on and not trying to shit on anyone that actually enjoys coffee. Just disillusioned with the whole industry. That said, coffee shops are one place where you can usually find actual leftists. They can be safe spaces for gender non conforming people and I do miss the comraderie with certain people but on the whole it kinda sucked, prob because I live in the south and a majority of our clientele was weird religious white dudes, you know, the "cool" youth pastors with tattoos and likes to call you "brother".
This needs to be its own post.
99% of "farmers", at least the ones that hold the political power, get the handouts and have their opinions parroted by the media are actually exploiters and financial conglomerates.
I think what really set me over the edge is when I went on an origin trip. For those that don't know, it's pretty self explanatory: the company/roaster/etc you work for sends you to the origin of where one of their coffees comes from. It's usually somewhere in Central or South America. It's highly coveted in the industry because it's a vacation to a beautiful place vieled as a learning experience. The "learning" is just you and your party gawking at and getting in the way of the pickers and sorters doing the actual work while the farmer shows off their production.
A lot of goofy white dudes in the industry will talk about how this is some life changing religious experience and really makes them appreciative and humble about where their coffee comes from. For me it did the opposite. It shows how fucking terrible this system of exploitation is while we're inside in climate controlled conditions eating food and drinking the coffee that the people are out in the field picking in 100 degree heat for 5 cents for every pound they pick. They wouldn't let us talk to the pickers to ask how they felt. It was basically a fucking resort. These farmers are living so lavish.
Idk, man. It's just not for me.