Danielle Knueppel and Enrique Magaña on Profitability from the Ground Up | Re:co Symposium 2019

Today, we’re very happy to present the fourth episode of “Cost of Production and Profitability for Coffee Producers,” a session recorded at Re:co Symposium this past April. Buyers and producers alike need to understand what it takes to produce specialty coffee so that it can be produced sustainably, so we convened experts to ask: Do we really know what specialty coffee costs?
If you haven’t seen the previous episodes in this series, we strongly recommend going back to watch before you continue with this episode.
Almost everywhere we go, we find that coffee farmers are shouldering all the risk in coffee production because there is little information on the best varieties and agricultural practices, no access to the right plants, or not enough knowledge on how to prepare for the next drought or epidemic. Because of these seemingly simple barriers, many farmers that could be profitable aren't.
World Coffee Research, together with dozens of partners, is building an unprecedented network of global on-farm trials to discover which varieties and agricultural practices are most profitable for coffee producers around the world. The Global Coffee Monitoring Program addresses one of the most important decisions farmers make: Which plants and practices are right for my farm? For my climate? For my buyers? Here, World Coffee Research’s Danielle Knueppel, joined by Enrique Magaña, explores the platform's aim to use rigorous, on-farm science to create a global data set that addresses the profitability of coffee farming from the ground up.
Special Thanks to Toddy
This talk from Re:co Boston is supported by Toddy. For over 50 years, Toddy brand cold brew systems have delighted baristas, food critics, and regular folks alike. By extracting all the natural and delicious flavors of coffee and tea, Toddy Cold Brew Systems turn your favorite coffee beans and tea leaves into fresh cold brew concentrates, that are ready to serve and enjoy. Learn more about Toddy at www.toddycafe.com.
Related Links:
- Read a full transcript on SCA News: www.scanews.coffee/podcast/63/reco-podcast-danielle-kneuppel-and-enrique-magana-on-profitability-from-the-ground-up-s2-ep-4/
- Read more about our 2019 speakers: www.recosymposium.org/2019/sp...
Table of Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:50 Enrique Magaña, a Salvadoran coffee producer, on the challenges his farm is facing in a time of low prices
7:30 Danielle Knueppel on why current Arabica crops are not offering farmers a sustainable or reliable income and farmers are moving away from arabica production.
9:30 An explanation of the Global Coffee Monitoring Program and how it works. The trial data will monitor and track weather patterns and pest spread globally, which growing variables affects cup quality and farmer profitability.
20:30 The program’s next steps
22:30 Outro