Why Single-Origin Coffee Is So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Insider Business

Single-origin specialty coffee can cost over $30 per pound, more than five times the average price of 1 pound of ground coffee in the US. “Specialty” is the term for the highest-quality coffee, and aficionados describe its taste with words more frequently used by sommeliers, like “floral” or “fruity.” Reaching this level of quality requires investment and labor at every step of production. But despite the prices a roasted bag of single-origin coffee can reach in the world’s wealthiest countries, the farmers who handpick each coffee cherry struggle to earn a profit.
We went to Kenya to find out what it takes to grow high-quality coffee, and why it’s so expensive.
Intro 0:00
Growing coffee 0:44
Harvesting 2:01
Commodity vs. specialty coffee 2:56
Sorting 4:23
Washed process 5:09
Roasting 6:46
Drying and Milling 10:13
The price of coffee 11:48
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Why Single-Origin Coffee Is So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Insider Business

[@eatachodeutube]

That’s why I get irked when people get mad about single origin coffee prices we have at the cafe I work at. Yes it’s more expensive because we aren’t trying to rip off the farmers and producers. The race to the bottom pricing just makes everything worse. And honestly they still aren’t getting payed enough.

[@sumanroy-ju1yu]

Absolutely correct. The same problem exists in the tea industry too.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Want to be a billionaire? Solve this problem 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@Alfredwijaya1]

Correct, I opened a coffee shop n had a single origins menu, it’s expensive but my customer still order from me, some are local n international depends on their preference but the expensive is from international rather than my local, 150k

[@matthias8122]

Too much money going to the marketing, branding, distribution…

[@Weirdvideomaker]

*Paid*

[@njangemaina6898]

Most of us coffee farmers from Nyeri, Kenya live in poverty despite the product fetching high prices. Too sad that we have been exploited to the third generation.

[@CraftAmundous]

🎶It's a capitalist world after all.🎶 😓

[@jacobr5627]

I assume that if these coffee farmers have farm hands that they probably are living in even more extreme poverty.

[@simplyme833]

@@jacobr5627 These farm hands may likely be former small coffee farm owners themselves who had to sell their land. Then the coffee farmer they're working with would eventually have to sell their land too, join them as farm hands. The vicious cycle goes on.

[@jmakathi6143]

it's the cooperatives and the cartels of this country together with crude politicians who are greedy and only think for themselves.

[@MinusMedley]

African countries have to start processing and packaging the final product, that's where the value is. The west knows this, with their shitty sanctions.

[@Ibrahimbenamira]

I love coffee and I'm willing to pay more for it, not for the sake of your fake branding and packaging serving marketing purposes but for the brave farmers who sacrifice alot of sweat to bring us the amazing flavors. These farmers deserve more.

[@moRaaOTAKU]

try some colombian coffee or brazilian

[@Ibrahimbenamira]

@@moRaaOTAKU South American Arabica is the best. grown in High altitudes

[@moRaaOTAKU]

@@Ibrahimbenamira yeah my family grows speacial coffee here in Colombia

[@hannesRSA]

​@@moRaaOTAKU columbia and Brazil beans are usually the worst to me. Around Guatamala are the best. Some African beans are next up.

[@bgaming531]

You still have to do your due diligence to know the farmers are getting fair wages, and you're not just paying marked up prices directly to the importer or roaster.

[@1989maihan]

These farmers deserve all the support they can get ❤

[@adredy]

5$ per day

[@hannesRSA]

Machines can do their job.

[@Omar-ld9gy]

@@hannesRSA farmers still need to operate the machines, also did you forget the first part? it's too hard to make a machine that hand picks only ripe fruit

[@hannesRSA]

@@Omar-ld9gy the future is now old man

[@EusebiusAT]

@@hannesRSA Coffee would be oh so boring if the only available product was low altitude grown. You just don't know what you're talking about.

[@jensencastro6989]

"Why Single-Origin Coffee Is So Cheap" fixed the title for you. jokes aside, hats off to Insider for shedding light on the reality behind being a coffee producer. It sucks that they are the ones that suffer the most when the supply chain is exploited.

[@timenswijtink]

Coffee is farrr too cheap and everyone would agree if they knew what it takes. It's incredible.

[@pushslice]

No joke! I'm confident that anyone who spends a day at a coffee farm (during harvest season), will wholeheartedly agree with your revision. It's damn incredible how much work goes into it.

[@butsukete1806]

Yeah, think the only coffee I've paid over $10 for was Esmeralda Geisha, and that was a little too floral for my taste.

[@moRaaOTAKU]

Some coffee around where I live recently went for 100USD+/lb

[@officialvictor3308]

Wow.... I can't describe the joy of knowing my local region Nyeri could end up in the best channel to cover about our black gold "Coffee". Thanks

[@madkrome7275]

I saw that one of the roasters was using a honey'd process Costa Rican and I really miss the one my shop had last year 😭 Great job at pointing out the discrepancies in coffee farming. It would have been neat if you were able to cover natural processed beans as well! I saw another commenter mention this, but a big lesson in the world of coffee: "Fair trade" isn't always fair

[@jojoanggono3229]

Natural (honey) process is more complicated so cost more. I personally don't like honey processed bean, it's too sweet for my liking. It's more of a niche product, less availability and more expensive.

[@davidchua5837]

As someone from the specialty coffee industry, I truly thankful for the existence of this video, it has been my years challenge just to spread more information about specialty coffee producers, and creating sustainable way to improve what we are doing.

[@kaczan3]

I can feel pretentiousness seeping through your Apple laptop.

[@LOLxUnique]

@@kaczan3always one of you

[@Spartan-sz7km]

​@@LOLxUniquesome people need to bash on anything people like. I love coffee and if nothing is being done for the farmers, slowly the skill will die out

[@ehek113]

@@kaczan3 wow.

[@mystrength5640]

These decent, hard working coffee farmers in Kenya, should be rewarded accordingly!!

[@TojiFushigoroWasTaken]

This probably wont happen.....for some to enjoy others HAVE to suffer

[@ABloodyEyeFull]

​@Petah griffin Like Coca-Cola, they still pay farmer's in East Africa very poorly! So sad from such a hugely popular, successful company.

[@jiaxuanng2396]

People wouldn't want to pay the costs for it, I'll keep drinking my tea! :P

[@lovingtennessee7726]

​@@TojiFushigoroWasTaken no folks don't have to suffer. An egalitarian society is possible when you stop giving more to those who abuse the system and promote nepotism.

[@JuanMorales-ju6je]

Nah they good with coffee

[@MarlinMakayla123]

Probably one of my favorite episodes so far. As someone who isn’t a coffee drinker, seeing the process and the massive labor load really puts things into perspective.

[@mcantarino]

Just for the record, there is A LOT of special coffee producers in Brazil

[@aki_raka]

In my village/town we don't really have any processing facility, the local government doesn't really care and farmers are forced to sell Green beans at around $1.5 to $2. It's been my dream to be able to open a facility to hopefully help farmers get a better price and living conditions. While I know the money needed would not be small, I'm still hopeful.

[@CarrerasCorradosCoffee]

After exploring the world of speciality coffee brewing, I started researching the problems with coffee pricing and ineffective coffee cooperatives. I'd recommend making a video on why "the rain forest alliance" is regarded as a very successful group, while "fair trade" groups are known to be ineffective scalpers.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Want to be a billionaire? Solve this problem 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@yianna4505]

I just did some reading on the rain forest alliance, and it has a bunch fo nestle products on their with their green frog approved. Nestle,,,, one of the biggest human rights violators in history and still actively uses child labor for their products. How is that a better org than fair trade? Gen curious cus I do try to be mindful of where im getting my coffee.

[@vitaly6312]

Fair trade is basically just the “organic” label on your Apple. It means very little and really only makes the end consumer feel good while doing little down to the producer.

[@yianna4505]

@@vitaly6312 fair enough

[@kaczan3]

A leftie initiative being just virtue signaling? Oh no, what a shock.

[@leirbagml94]

Congrats for this content, you showed the reality of the coffee farmers, and the real difference between what is a high quality coffee and what isnt. Is the content we need to keep bringing support to direct trade with farmers, fair trade and specialty coffee culture.

[@kaczan3]

What makes coffee farmers so special? There are potato farmer and other farmers mistreated by your own government, and you don't care about those farmers. Seems you're just chasing some leftie talking point that's in fashion right now

[@vicgofreeformblock7145]

Switched to single origin and I'm never going back. It makes you appreciate the coffee so much more, and yes, you can actually taste the difference.

[@spiritchaser8394]

still coffee is very overrated. i rather drink tea.

[@SkitHertz]

Can't live without single-origin coffee ... hope the farmers get what they deserve 🙏

[@kaczan3]

What makes coffee farmers so special? There are potato farmer and other farmers mistreated by your own government, and you don't care about those farmers. Seems you're just chasing some leftie talking point that's in fashion right now

[@petermuriuki4548]

I can see Mr Joseph, Chairman Ndaroini Coffee Factory, Nyeri Kenya. I wish the coffee buyers do direct sales instead of auction that at times frustrate the small scale farmers.

[@macadamiaAfrica]

Thank you for the wonderful documentary, the farmers deserve more of their hard work

[@dankennedy3365]

What a fantastic job showing the steps in the coffee chain and coffee production, and more importantly, the struggle coffee farmers face getting paid fair prices.

[@seriouslyyoujest1771]

Thank you for growing my favorite drink on earth. My Grandfather was a farmer in Illinois, with over 500 acres of farmland.

[@Jeff-312]

Glad to see Metric getting the attention they deserve. They’re my go-to roaster and they’re one of the most transparent coffee companies in the industry.

[@TheSongwritingCat]

Paying $3-4 per pound that then gets marked up to $20+ because of processing and packaging doesn't seem like the height of ethics. Also, as of now, trying to download the transparency report leads to a 404 error page.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Want to be a billionaire? Solve this problem 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@wrailee]

​@@TheSongwritingCat its expensive to ship and it takes talent to roast perfectly which why its expensive.

[@ericl8821]

I like buying from a coffee roaster that’s designated as a B corp

[@fajareristyawan7900]

@@wrailee yap...expensive equipment and machines, a lot of wasting green beans while developing roast profile, expensive roasting course also.hahaha...

[@AwokenEntertainment]

What a process! Makes you really appreciate the coffee you drink..

[@mySDK3333]

I think this is the best episode of So Expensive I've watched, very informative.

[@Deletaste]

I know that's not what Insider Business aims for but it would be great to have a more in depth video about the whole supply chain of coffee from countries like Kenya, Colombia, Panama and Brazil. You know, how the farmers organize themselves, what's the role of the local government, corruption and exploitation, and much more. If anyone know where I could watch or read something in those lines let me know.

[@aramdeara1]

Insider business is just a small cute company being paid by all big companies for ads.

[@MartinJungblut]

Living in Brazil, I'm quite happy to be able to get single-origin coffees for a very reasonable price, all locally grown by farmers who are respected and not exploited. The states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo have been producing and exporting coffee for hundreds of years. We're definitely privileged in this regard, and the overall quality has only increased in recent years. Definitely some of the best beans I've ever tasted are from here.

[@JulioCesar-cc7uc]

i agree. Na verdade não agrido a ninguém. But I agree with your testimony.

[@yerahmlee730]

Good coffee honestly should cost as much or even more than basic cocktails, I make my own pour overs from my fav roasters and don’t mind paying 20-30 per bag. Absolutely worth it and if the price goes up to help farmers I’m all for it.

[@yougetaspear7799]

True and don't know where Dunkin got theirs but it feels criminal not being able to indulge in their coffee unfortunately. Beats them all to me and haven't tried much varieties either.

[@lppl7780]

still cheaper than buying coffee at a coffee shop!

[@karlodomic2890]

Sadly like 80% goes to middlemen

[@samoak123]

I'm happy to pay $100 a cup for coffee. I earn over $2m a year after taxes.

[@leiajiang7877]

Because alcohol we consume is mostly made by people with rights

[@robinrok94]

Thanks for making Kenya the highlight of this video!!!

[@mylyric9044]

The best thing about born and raised in Indonesia is that you can experience various good quality coffee in a lower price, not because you pay too low but because the shipping fee is cheap and sometimes free if your order meet the requirements. In here you can taste more than 10 single origin from one island and yes we have lots of island, they all taste different even when you change the water(filtered/unfiltered) it will effect the taste too.

[@thanhnamnguyen5280]

Greetings from Vietnam! Same situation for us here, but instead of multiple islands we have a strentched out territory and many micro-climates locked in highlands and valleys

[@rafaelperalta1676]

That's nice to know. I'm kinda jealous, knowing you have a lot of varieties to try and in cheaper price too. Maybe I'm just ignorant about coffee here where I live. What I know is that instant ones are much more prevalent here than high quality counterparts.

[@kimballamram552]

@@thanhnamnguyen5280 Vietnamese coffee should be more readily available in the US.

[@lelegoyeng]

Agree, how many single origin indonesia have actually really a bless to the country.. but not a lot of indonesia people appreciate this large range of origin coffee Thats why it's rare to see single origin arabica coffee in cafe but thats a normal thing in singapore.. they sell aceh gayo and mandheling in there

[@zahranafisa8757]

IKR

[@tlniec]

Great summary and introduction to this surprisingly complex subject. I wonder if there is additional "cutting room floor" footage exploring things like other processing methods, etc that were trimmed for time reasons...

[@emilm8603]

Man, I had coffee from Joseph's farm a couple of weeks ago. Probably the best coffee I ever had. I regret only buying a pound, as it was gone from the local roaster by the next week (shoutout to Fuglen). If you come across a bag of freshly roasted Ndaro-ini beans, grab that stuff!

[@c4li]

I've been buying microlot single origin coffee for quite some years now, from local small roasteries always expecting that i would be supporting these small farmers. And i am pretty confident that i am, being microlot but certainly something i will be paying more attention to in the future. Great video!

[@JesseDishner]

My broker tells me that buying microlots are most effective way of getting producers a higher price for their product.

[@bigboymamba]

good to know thanks.

[@Bootstataboots]

I'm guessing some people don't have a full grasp of what "single origin" coffee means. To be honest, I didn't until watching this video.

[@AlohaUlises]

​@@JesseDishner "coffee broker" it's must be hella easy to rip you off. 😂😂😂

[@JesseDishner]

@AlohaUlises what are you talking about? I buy coffee by the pallet at a fixed differential tied to the commodities price. I'm a roaster.

[@bigger_picture322]

I've been a coffee reaper for Year's it's help me put food on the table more times than I can count so I'm grateful but I'd never recommend this life not even to my enemy so if you have life a little bit easier give thanks because someone somewhere ain't have it has easy and I'm Jamaican 🇯🇲 where the Best coffee is blue mountains coffee

[@JodySeltzer]

Well done video. Glad to see the focus on the issue for producers. Hopefully people support local rosters that partner with producers to keep thing fair and profitable for all.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Want to be a billionaire? Solve this problem 👉 The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

[@kaczan3]

What makes coffee farmers so special? There are potato farmer and other farmers mistreated by your own government, and you don't care about those farmers. Seems you're just chasing some leftie talking point that's in fashion right now

[@frekkonl9460]

Great video, thanks for highlighting such an amazing product!

[@EdinbruehtKaffee]

excellent video ! Very exact and detailed. I have read all this but getting the pictures from Kenya, my favorite coffee region, is amazing. Thanks!

[@Antondepadua]

fermentation not only breakdowns mucilage, but it is the process in which the distinct aroma and flavor is developed.

[@BensCoffeeRants]

It's a shame they didn't also cover some other processing methods but it's basically just differing how long the fermentation is allowed before cleaning the fruit off.

[@ALPACABOWLCOMPANY]

Appreciate you growing and processing my coffee. 💚👽

[@endalemulugeta6883]

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, boasting the highest altitude for cultivation - a perfect place to film your video. with respect for Kenyans

[@alexmunene4124]

This is at the foot of the second highest point in Africa.....there isn’t any place in Africa coffee is farmed higher than this

[@user-wm4yn9vl4r]

Found your post interesting to watch. I can't wait to see your new videos soon. Good Luck with the upcoming update. This KZbin channel is really very informative and effective.

[@LudoHanton]

Great video. I visited farms in Thailand and farmers need to be spotlighted for the amazing work they do. Thanks

[@yougetaspear7799]

Good job to these guys but otherwise bleep the majors, we the common folks must be the main media now

[@LudoHanton]

@@yougetaspear7799 But I do. I ve started a coffee brand who showcase Tropical Asia Specialty coffee (NAGA COFFEE).

[@yougetaspear7799]

@@LudoHanton exactly, hence it's common folks like you the mainstream media now unlike the increasingly irrelevant old media

[@Isabelagug]

Brazil does not only have commodity coffee. This had a negative effect on the image of Brazilian coffee. Although we do indeed have more mecanized harvest, we also have great specialty coffee.

[@fesouzasan]

Yep but, to be fair, we're still lagging behind other coffee production areas in terms of specialty coffee. I'm trying to implement specialty coffee in my region (used to have very quality beans in the 1950's), but most farmers here aren't really willing to take the risks involved.

[@Isabelagug]

@@fesouzasan Yes, what I meant is that Brazil doesn't only have commodity coffee. Not that our specialty coffee is up to the same standards as abroad. However, I have tasted a few good ones here, that compare to foreign ones.

[@fesouzasan]

​@@Isabelagug Not really arguing against that, you're definitely right.

[@jensencastro6989]

Huge fan of the coffee that comes from the Vinhal family. It's theirs that got me excited again for coffees from Brazil.

[@chinesevirus-ix3yr]

Bolsonaro is a hero

[@johnnymac6178]

I drink 2 cups a day at home and my total cost per 12oz cup is about $1 after factoring in: the K cup, sugar, creamer, and Keurig cleaning/descaling stuff. $2/day is nothing. I would gladly pay more for better quality coffee…as long as the farmers made more!

[@alphademonradius4094]

Not just how you perfectly narrating your videos in food industries,but i just really admired your beautiful accent🥰..Love your voice also😘

[@hannibalkim]

price of coffee is determined by SCA score , rarity and marketing. Specialty coffee is much like wine market. Sometimes marketing itself gets to sell in such high price like kopi luwak or yemenese coffee. they aren't that great but power of marketing made them into top of the line gourmet products.

[@karigrandii]

They are not gourmet, atleast not anymore. It’s more about geshas and such nowdays.

[@clarkkent7973]

Roast your own coffee, and you can get specialty coffee for less than $10 per pound at many places includes Sweet Marias, and The Captain's Coffee. You can get started with roasting for less than $25.

[@antoniobetancourt1094]

lol that's a bit misleading. Sure you can roast in a popcorn popper but there's a learning curve and your results will show.

[@blabbettevroom1605]

@@antoniobetancourt1094 You discount the joy and satisfaction of the learning and the process .And Oh! the reward...... Maybe you are a just not a coffee roasting kinda guy....

[@antoniobetancourt1094]

@@blabbettevroom1605 Been roasting for years now. You don't know what youre talking about lol

[@camperhonsa8633]

This video really did a great job covering the specialty coffee industry. Bravo

[@thinkpadx60]

We need to pay a fair price to these coffee growers. Its a lot of hard work there and such dedicated to grow the beans. If Wineries and distilleries get a fair income there should be a way for coffee growers to get their fair share. I hope the situation improves and some startup addresses this at a mass scale. Support Fair Trade.

[@joerehem1742]

To test it out, lets do a strike. No coffee exported out of the origin country, let the buyer come down to the country coffee origin to taste it, buy it. But with a noted "Don't leave the country".

[@tubester4567]

Problem is, often the farmer is getting a fair price. The problem is the money never reached the poor workers.

[@kaczan3]

What makes coffee farmers so special? There are potato farmer and other farmers mistreated by your own government, and you don't care about those farmers. Seems you're just chasing some leftie talking point that's in fashion right now

[@igormarinkovic1531]

I wish i could visit coffee and cocoa producers and see how they live and at least try to work couple of days with them and feel that work that gave me so many coffee cups and chocolate bars

[@marklindsey-uf3pr]

I have 3 cacao trees on my land.When it gets really stormy, on the land ,rain floods downhill to one tree specifically. Its way bigger than the other. Last eek I made about seven pounds of homemade chocolate from last months harvest.Just for the home and friends to share. Second harvest three days ago, ill start the curing process in a few days

[@libyatube2651]

Insider business gives the real knowledge, thanks for all

[@artemface]

Amazing doc! More of these !!

[@faridzenon]

Thank you for this cover story.

[@bloodcorer]

Have no coffee next to me while watching this video but I can swear I can smell coffee somehow...

[@SL-vs7fs]

Chock full of great information. Thanks! Kudos to Metric on their transparency report.

[@diegogarcia-serna9773]

Love this video. Pay farmers what they deserve 👏🏼

[@snexjk]

And some competition coffees cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per pound.

[@edwinnjoroge9981]

so sad coffee plantations are being destroyed especially in Kiambu-kenya being replaced by apartment buildings

[@Belioyt]

That's a function of growing population and weak zoning laws

[@nonono2557]

​@@Belioyt lmao, zoning laws in Kenya, you're a little stuck in our legal system bud

[@impianotespaul]

All I can say is Thank you. I love kenyan coffee.

[@Jadamson321]

fantastic video and well researched

[@carson6883]

I currently work at what was the first Onyx coffee-we're under another name now but we still sell their beans and have a close relationship with them. It's really awesome to see a little local company get so much recognition in recent years =) 3:34

[@d.pigg1768]

Washington location? I'm looking for a job :)

[@seunghwanlee90]

what's the name?

[@davealmighty9638]

Do you sell Kopi Luwak? I like a few turds mixed in with my morning brew.

[@CarrerasCorradosCoffee]

Love onyx!

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

Find the secret 👉👉Dominion (2018)

[@Tsuki04wolf]

I think its interesting this video was filed under the "So expensive" series when in the end the arguments are made that the coffee is actually quite cheap for what the product is. Consumers constantly complain that coffee has become expensive but really when adjusted for inflation, it really has not. If anything we are all underpaying for all coffee, even commodity level. The reasons for the poor payment to producers in the supply chain are complex but I don't think we should ignore the fact that coffee is majorly produced in poorer countries and often if you are getting coffee at commodity prices, one has to question if there is slave labor. We have seen the reckoning in the chocolate industry as they uncovered unethical labor practices amongst large companies yet coffee remains obscure. I also think part of the problem are consumers in the west have this expectation that coffee should be this super cheap product which doesn't reflect its complex production. Chances are you can have what has been deemed the best coffee in the world at the moment for $10 a cup or even less. If you had the wine equivalent it would definitely be a lot more expensive than that

[@karigrandii]

Yes and its all about price vs cost. What do you pay for? We never learn about that in this capitalist world. Cheap coffee has a cost that includes forced/cheap labor, destroying rainforest and habitats of animals and plants, pesticides killing pollinators etc. With ”expensive” or real coffee you pay more (higher price) because the cost of environmental and socioeconomic destruction is smaller

[@janstander7830]

This is the case for basically all farmed goods. Ironically farmers are usually the first group to be vilianised when it's things are not going good for the general population. This is especially the case in South Africa.

[@NocturnalCoder]

I had Arabica coffee in Thailand and it became my favorite coffee instantly.

[@RonSmith472]

It's the intermediaries that are the bottle necks of industry worldwide. These people are the ones who take the profits as they set pricing and distribution. This is what needs improvement. Consumers will pay whatever the set price is for the product, they don't dictate pricing otherwise prices would be much lower than they are right now.

[@loreo1235]

no not really - i agree that (bad) intermediaries are the problem here, especially the big coffee companys of the world. But consumers will definitely not pay SO prices for regular supermarket coffee brands.

[@nimrodbegg123]

Yep the consumer should buy from the famer direct, learn the local language, build there own processing plants, sort the import process out, roast the coffee then drink it.

[@loreo1235]

@@nimrodbegg123 it's funny, because you have no actual clue about coffee

[@loreo1235]

@Paul would you buy your usual supermarket coffee for 20€ per pound? :) Yes, there are price spikes - but we're talking about basic principles of market economy - so no, the demand would absolutely go down.

[@2cartalkers]

One never regrets buying quality.

[@bernardourena]

Im a coffee farmer in Costa Rica because I born there,I also live in United States last few years so im a witness of all this 100% agree✌🏻 if needs the best quality of coffee beans al also can help, from my farm or from any others coffee farmers in the town..

[@Kolmir]

I learned a lot. I can be a more aware customer now. Thank you!

[@SpiderSid007]

Lots of love from India. Pleasantly surprised to see that their language is similar to our own. "Paisa = Money" in Hindi, too!

[@zhozhoe]

It's not actually Hindi that the Swahili word pesa comes from, but Gujarati or Punjabi. Could be Hindi, but the word certainly comes from India. Swahili has a lot of words from all over the Indian ocean region.

[@jankubat2694]

The better question is, how is it so cheap?

[@avertentropy]

a long history of colonialism

[@alexanderphilip1809]

​@@avertentropy not in this case. Specialty coffee is labor intensive and lacks scale.

[@MrTheclevercat]

@@avertentropy Please explain the history of colonization in Kenya that would lead to cheap coffee prices. LOL

[@Been.Here.Since.2007]

@@avertentropy "white people"

[@adamsojka3345]

Im paying 10$ for real high quality, well roasted specialty coffee... I ask myself this question every time I brew my coffee

[@xander1052]

Currently getting through two single origin bags I have. definitely worth the extra cost.

[@user-xl2om2up2x]

Absolutely beautiful video, top nob job to everyone who worked on it

[@amosicronery7730]

So a person in America can pay $20 for a pound of coffee (which is less than a half kilogram) while farmers here in Tanzania are earning not more than $3 per kilogram! Wow. Anyone for partnering.

[@clarkkent7973]

The coffee roaster takes $10 of that $20. Visit Sweet Marias to get started roasting your own coffee for $25.

[@ssl3546]

It's how every long supply chain in the world works, every time you add middlemen the price gets multiplied.

[@vincentduong7383]

lets partner up, I have a coffee farm in Vietnam

[@jericpaullim9845]

Farmers in general deserve so much more than how the current state of world economy treats them.

[@douglasmutua6967]

I am a coffee farmer and processor From Embu Kenya and I appreciate the story, i can be contacted for single origin coffee

[@apollo5751]

It's just an acre. They can install plastic pipes (6" min) that allow the berries to flow down to a collection area.

[@torbjornwiken]

Im gladly paying a higher price for coffee to ensure that the producers get paid fairly! The producers are doing the hard work, and should not be left out!

[@kaczan3]

What makes coffee farmers so special? There are potato farmer and other farmers mistreated by your own government, and you don't care about those farmers. Seems you're just chasing some leftie talking point that's in fashion right now

[@marcelovolcato8892]

The only kind of coffee I drink. The only real coffee there is.

[@spiritchaser8394]

coffee is overrated. inferior beverage to wine and whisky.

[@Princeduclare]

@@spiritchaser8394 all beverages are inferior to water

[@ccuellar6212]

@@Princeduclare I agree. Whiskey is the water of life.

[@spiritchaser8394]

@@Princeduclare i agree if we are talking about necessity. in terms of luxury wine n whisky are far more complex than coffee. coffee snobs are wannabe taste connoisseurs but lack the discernment for more complex beverages. they rattle on tasting notes which bear little ressemblance to the cup of coffee. afterall 99% of aromas of coffee are lost once hot water hits the grinds. plus coffee that has cooled dowm will taste very homogenous.

[@spiritchaser8394]

i have been in the pourover rabbit hole for less than a year n im out. this industry supports exploitation of third world labor. seriously considering selling my comandante hand grinder n other coffee gear.

[@artist_three]

It is always the farmers who works harder but paid with less. sometimes the quote that says "work smarter not harder" isn't typical at some sort, you still need to value the product that people made through hard work just to meet the market demands.

[@DJDynamik]

Blue Mountain from Jamaica. Probably the best and favorite coffee in my opinion.

[@redbarchetta8782]

I been buying my single origin coffee from my local roaster named Dillanos and they have great SO coffees. Responsible roasters get their coffee 'Free Trade' so the locals are rewarded for their hard work too. P.S. my favorite is 'Natural' processed coffees.

[@fernandoassis2683]

It is so wrong to think Brazil only has commodity coffee. 😞

[@Grow_YOW90]

There is early pruning techniques to remove the beans which will obviously not ripen fast and give higher quality to the beans, giving them a more uniform crop, saving time in harvest and sorting...

[@voxdelalito]

Didn't expect to see Metric Coffee from Chicago here! Great tasting coffee

[@hanni2299]

It's a real pitty. I did my bachelor thesis about cocoa and you see almost the same problems. In you buy a bar of chocolate in a German supermarket the cocoa farmer earns about 7,4 % of the total selling price

[@vengefulspirit99]

Most cocoa farmers can't afford to eat their own product. It's worth too much.

[@hanni2299]

@@vengefulspirit99 But it's not only about prices. Most cocoa get's shipped to Europe or the USA as raw beans and will get processed there into chocolate. They will never leave Africa as chocolate and they will never come back. That's also one of the main problems. The value adding steps all happen in Europe or America and the big companies get all the profit.

[@KickassCrusader]

are they paid that up front percentage up front for the loads they ship, or actually in like biweekly, monthly, or quarterly funds that get the money back to them. that doesnt sound like its too bad of a selling price percentage to me

[@kimballamram552]

@@hanni2299 Unlike Brazil another coach producing country there is no native connection to the final product as in Brazil the indigenous people have a time honored connection.

[@resphantom]

@@hanni2299 I see the problem, it's cost-of-living differences. People in Europe and America usually expect/demand certain wages due to their country's high cost-of-living. I find it odd that companies don't utilise Africa or Brazil to produce the product where the raw material comes from, since they would probably gain increased profits. Than again, you probably need good engineers to build and maintain those facilities.

[@barowt]

I love it when I tell people that coffee is just a seed from a certain kind of cherry, and they tell me I'm wrong, that it comes from a bean plant, hahahah... 🤣🤣🤣

[@marklindsey-uf3pr]

Yes, when Im working outside in my aina I love to fill my pockets full of bright red coffee cherries. Between work I will pop cherries in my mouth, a rush of natural sugar is so good, then usually spit out the hard bean. Do that all day sometimes Ill have bare coffee trees when I should harvest for drying but I striped them bare whacking

[@gigiberuang9501]

this is good for coffee master knowledge

[@jamessantos7241]

Single origin beans are actually quite cheap. Cheaper per gram when you brew it vs your starbucks cup. Only those that are they consider specialty grade are taking the premium.

[@casperbertelsen1716]

Remember these farmers when deciding whether or not to buy certified coffee like Fairtrade, ensuring they get better living standards

[@user-ii1iy8fz1d]

Fairtrade isn't all it's cracked up to be....

[@casperbertelsen1716]

@@user-ii1iy8fz1d What is nowadays? At least they make a difference or try to. Go for rainforest alliance, organic, UTZ or whatever. Will forever be miles better than non certified

[@_thripple]

@@casperbertelsen1716none of that is necessarily true unfortunately! Certifications often use money dishonestly, can often abuse farmer relationships, and force them into spending extra money they don’t have just to get their coffee into the specialty market. If you’re buying specialty from a local roaster, you’re likely supporting the producers more than when certification shopping.

[@casperbertelsen1716]

@@_thripple I believe there are truths to be found in both sides, and I believe it also has to do with personal preference and believes. As the picture when dealing with developing countries and NGOs the picture quickly gets blurry. However when I buy coffee, I buy specialty and certified, from companies which I believe and trust (reports etc) Why choose when you can have both is my personal opinion. Thanks for discussing this

[@RegrinderAlert]

The best thing you can do is buy from reputable, known specialty coffee roasters. A lot of them are transparent regarding the price paid “at farm gate”. Some even have direct ties with farms and work together with the producers to get both a higher quality product and financial benefits for the producer.

[@troppe4295]

My country, my coffee. Farming coffee should be a rewarding 'career' considering the work involved the high demand and prices esp here in the USA.

[@kolendamp3360]

I live in a coffee region in Brasil, 500 gr for USD 5,-, single origin, delicious quality

[@joeyhotcakes8628]

watching this while having my coffee ☕

[@holmennaggerty5274]

if you really want to take it to the next level, you can get single origin unroasted beans, then roast and grind them yourself bring out the flavors and make the beans fresher. it also lets you have more control over the roast. you can also affect the taste of the coffee depending on how you make it. a shot pulled for 20 seconds will generally be better that one pulled for 35 seconds.

[@rhubarbpie2027]

A Disciple of our Lord and Savior James Hoffman?

[@egiputrak]

how is 20 seconds shot is better than one that is pulled for 35 seconds? can you elaborate? kinda curious bcs im still new in coffee making

[@rhubarbpie2027]

@@egiputrak if you overextract the grounds, you can leach tannins which are very bitter and acrid by nature. Those tannis are great for various whiskeys and wines, but unpleasant in coffee. This is often why drip coffee is lackluster, as grounds on the top are overextracted and those on the bottom are underextracted. I'm not saying to get a cheap tin of coffee and orepare it like espresso and you'll have ana amazing experience, but prep does matter.

[@antoniobetancourt1094]

Getting into coffee roasting is complicated and a big learning curve for a quality result. Just not realistic for most.

[@antoniobetancourt1094]

@@egiputrak It's not fundamentally better to pull a faster shot. It all depends on your bean, roast, and brewing style. I've pulled shots that were approaching 1 min that tasted fantastic. It's a nuanced thing that can only be understood with a lot of time and effort.

[@ivanr77]

Prices aren't increasing for farmers because increased consumer demand has driven more competition into this industry. Simple economics. Not sure how a business publication couldn't connect those dots. Not knocking on the farmers... Tremendous respect for the hard work and care that goes into my daily laxative.

[@annaheya2109]

Coffee beans are the most expensive item on my grocery list lol with a whooping £40/kg 😅 but it brings me some sort of joy

[@angelharies3913]

Here in PR, at least in the mountains, the coffee season starts around August /September to January

[@MRAWESOME22]

Whoever the producer/editor was on this did a great job. It feels different to other videos on the So Expensive series. From the music to the cadence/flow, this episode felt very fresh and new.

[@robcarrillo9956]

My father is a coffee grower in the oriente region of Guatemala, if I decide to continue on with the family trade that would make me a 4th generation coffee farmer. At the moment on average coffee farmers are breaking even. If that. And considering the factors of scarce labor, la Rolla, etc it doesn't look sustainable in the long term for most/your average coffee producer in Central America.

[@rikichandran]

will it be harder for farmers like you to go directly to customers and build a brand like farm to table? curious how the business works

[@AndrewTate-]

@@rikichandran farmer ->middle man (consistent buyer)->another middle man or same guy will handle (packaging and logistics to strong economy locations) ->consumer.

[@chinesevirus-ix3yr]

America has a bunch of Mexicans we can send down your way. They love hard labor, little pay, and dirty living conditions

[@robcarrillo9956]

@@chinesevirus-ix3yr 👏🏼😂

[@robcarrillo9956]

@@rikichandran that is possible, but I can tell you right away to do such a thing requieres a lot of initial capital to invest in such a project and it is an arduous task. Most farmers just want to farm or feel limited to do just that because their lack of knowledge, education, etc. So they don't even try. Of course i'm just generalizing and thinking off the top of my head but its true/common. I have talked about this with my father to create our brand and sell directly to consumers. Who knows, maybe it's something we'll do little by little. For me it'd be a hobby and passion. For my father it would be improving his non profitable coffee farming business which is his life investment and baby. Hopefully I helped you understand a little more. I recommend reading the world atlas book of coffee as a start if you want to learn more.

[@pauloamw]

Brazil also has specialty coffee grown and hand-picked by small farmers in uneven terrain. And big farmers producing beautiful single origin lots. This video is nice, but just reinforces the stereotype.

[@nourhanbalian3294]

this series is getting bigger and bigger, since everything is getting so expensive

[@ivandolynnyy1311]

Can't live without a coffee ❤️

[@HC_15819]

Here is an idea for your next episode: Why is being alive so expensive?

[@MrTheclevercat]

Because of the labor involved in keeping you alive. Pretty self explanatory. I know, those with far left views imagine that life should cost nothing and you should be given everything from third world countries or something but reality isn't going to work like that.

[@galbenzur]

well imo it's because the now-rich stole the land from our ancestors' communities. Ya know, to make us work on it for them at the threat of our starvation, so that they can have all the nicest things we make. Divorcing us not just from each other but also a space to live, from our cultivated nature, and from the nutritional fruits both of our earth and our own labour! But yes comrade @MrTheClevercat! As you say the pirates then did tentacle out to the rest of the world and put them in the same pickle. Now sadly it's to the extent that anyone who hasn't been robbed, is needing to resist hard to keep their land and freedom... that or sadly sell it off when times are rough. And everyone else needs to fight almost as tiringly for ourselves just to eat. But oh alas, as we have less and less for them to take they need to take more, produce more, and make us pay more... not just for themsleves but to keep the quarterly business growth above 0. ok yes for themselves, they like that pickle too huh. So we gotta work more, make less, innovate for them more, and pay more for our food and land ransom. But yest Alassio! If we'd but rebuild and strenghten those connections to our old community and earth, and also our new global community too, who all keep losing out to the businessman in the 'middle' of our relationship. Then maybe being alive won't be harder than keeping ourselves alive, cus we're not keeping some dapper cat alive and happy before we do each other. sry haha got carried away, much adieu

[@MrTheclevercat]

@@galbenzur So things should be cheaper but you should also be paid more?

[@galbenzur]

@@MrTheclevercat that's kind of the same thing... less to people who don't "work" and just buy, sell, and move the resources (money, work, land). If most people had the land and the means to make things for ourselves and for our community, we wouldn't need to pay so much to the conglomerates and investors that set the prices of land and food. It's not like it's a free market where we can "negotiate" for food or land or wages, when they own it. We're desperate and have nothing but the ability to work. So they win every negotiation. We shouldn't even 'get paid' we should earn a living and support each other. (i'm assuming you're tryna push my buttons but i'm enjoying writing you this novel lol so keep coming at me )