For the love of all that is good in the world, please respect the things you consume.

Coffee farmers are some of the most underpaid and ynd in the world. We have grown to be so accustomed to getting cheap coffee that we don’t think twice about it. You can arrive at any gas station and get any size coffee for one dollar. It’s a disgrace to the people who break their backs for those beans. The world runs off of coffee but isn’t willing to pay fair prices for it.

Instant Coffee in and of itself isn’t a bad product. It is actually made out of brewed coffee that has been freeze dried or spray dried. Essentially it is just dehydrated coffee. While it may taste like garbage on its own (Opinion based, not fact, but close enough), it is still made out of actual coffee. It’s not about the coffee, its what it stands for.

The Bean

Instant Coffee is generally made out of Robusta beans. This is a cheap type of bean that is about half the price of its Arabica counterpart and significantly cheaper than most specialty coffee. It tends to have a more bitter and acidic taste than what you may be used to.

Coffee beans vary tremendously based off of where they come from. While region plays a huge role in what the taste of the bean will be, the quality and care that goes into its growing process may matter even more. With most things, if it is made on a smaller scale, it tends to be better. Take pizza for example, mass produced pizza has a place in the world. Sometimes you just need a Dominos pizza at 2am after returning from the bar. However, it’s not what you would choose if you had a wood-fired oven available.

Quality over quantity plays a real importance. Its true that you can buy copious amounts of instant coffee for quite cheap, but how much do you think the farmers on the other end are making?

Direct and Fair Trade

These are terms that you may have heard of before. They dance around the coffee industry with an importance that may change the future of this market. Fair Trade coffee is based on setting a market price for the bean and not going below that. Coffee farmers aren’t forced to go below the market price per pound which allows them a safety net for selling.

Direct Trade Coffee or Relationship Coffee, is based off of the roasters and farmers creating a business relationship without a middleman. The roasters physically go to where the beans are grown, meet the farmers, and explore the farms. These relationships tend to come with a higher pay for the farmers which can be life changing for them. I write more about the difference between these two in this article.

Large coffee corporations do not usually participate in these types of trade relationships. They buy in such large quantities that the farmers aren’t able to turn down their low prices. The corporations know their worth and uses it against them.

Instant Coffee is mainly made by those large corporations that can afford the expensive equipment required to create instant coffee.

Alternatives

Support Local

During this pandemic, it is incredibly important to stay home but also to support the small businesses. Once this is all over, we may see thousands of small coffee shops closing their doors due to a lack of revenue. It is more important than ever to buy at least something from them. While it is less expensive to create your own recipes at home, you could at least buy the beans wholesale from a company that you know sources ethically. Most of them are even offering delivery on both their drinks and their bags of beans.

Make at Home Coffee

While there is nothing like having a comforting latte or refreshing cold brew from your favorite coffee house, but there are ways for you to make these things at home! Using ethically sourced beans can bring greater flavor and you’ll still get a bang for your buck! Some of the best drinks can easily be made at home! Drinks such as Cold Brew, Iced Coffee, Frappuccinos, and hot coffee! Recipes are available everywhere and you may not even need any extra equipment.

So when it comes to how to take your coffee, the main thing to worry about is that you are taking it with a spoonful of respect and a splash of gratitude. Take the time to find the coffee brands that are doing it the right way. And please, stop drinking crap coffee!