Ted Fischer on Coffee and Values | Re:co Symposium 2019

Today, we’re very happy to present the third episode of “Value Chains: Transparency and Market Linkages,” a session recorded at Re:co Symposium this past April. Acknowledging that this isn’t the first coffee price crisis, this session brought leaders together to ask: How successful were the tools we employed previously? What new tools offer potential solutions?
If you haven’t seen the previous episodes in this series, we strongly recommend going back to watch before you continue with this episode.
Today’s episode takes a different look at the coffee value chain. Ted Fischer, a cultural anthropologist, studies how people give worth to things. Here, Ted explains how coffee acts as a vessel for all sorts of values - economic, yes, but also social, moral, and ideological - and how the coffee trade involves balancing different metrics of value. Building on fieldwork with Maya farmers, he explores how smallholders have benefited from the specialty coffee revolution, but lack the social capital to tap into the most lucrative segments of the market.
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/68/reco-podcast-ted-fischer-on-coffee-and-values-s3-ep-3/
- Read more about our 2019 speakers: www.recosymposium.org/2019/sp...