International Coffee Day celebrates not only the drink, but all that it brings together — local residents, businesses and neighborhoods. But through that shared bond over coffee, some communities across the globe have been exploited for lower prices, studies have found.

In 2016, Repórter Brasil published an extensive report on the poor working conditions for coffee bean farmers in Brazil, which produces a third of all consumed coffee in the world, according to that report.

Now, both chain stores and indie coffee shops are opting for “fair trade” and “ethical” coffee. Companies in Syracuse, both large and small, are contributing to the global environment by sourcing fairly-traded coffee and abiding by sustainability standards.

“The belts of the planet where coffee is grown out of … a lot of places in that region are struggling with development in their local areas,” said Graham Reynolds, head roaster at Recess Coffee.

The growing coffee company roasts all of its own beans, meaning they have more control over products and the effect the company’s purchases have.

“Countries that don’t have the ability to produce coffee consume a lot of coffee,” Reynolds said. “With fair trade, we can have our coffee in the morning knowing someone in Central America or Africa can have good quality coffee.”

Recess roasts organic, artisan coffee beans, serving eco-friendly coffee in the Westcott neighborhood and downtown. Their coffee is fairly-traded from farmers.

Cafe Kubal, another local Syracuse coffee chain, also emphasizes ethical roasts and products. Since most of their beans come from Brazil, said University Hill location manager Betsy Bell, it’s important to ensure they’re dealing with sustainable and fair-trade beans.

Kubal’s founder, Matt Godard, began roasting coffee after a trip to Guatemala, according to the company’s website. As stated by the Food Empowerment Project, a study in Guatemala “found that the vast majority did not receive overtime pay or the employee benefits required by law, and nearly half were paid less than Guatemala’s minimum wage.”

Larger companies in Syracuse have also taken measures to promote sustainability — recently, Dunkin’ Donuts has expressed desire to help protect the planet.

According to a February 2018 news release, the company’s dark roast coffee will be brewed with 100 percent Rainforest Alliance Certified beans. They also serve Fair Trade Certified espresso in European markets. In addition, the press release announced Dunkin’ Donuts’ goal to eliminate all foam cups by 2020 and to replace them with a more eco-friendly, double-walled paper cup.

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The Dunkin’ Donuts Green Achievement program began in 2014 with the mission to build sustainable, energy-efficient restaurants. According to the Dunkin’ brand’s website, the amenities include “LED lighting to reduce energy use, high-efficiency mechanical units, water reduction features such as low-flow faucets and more.”

Starbucks is another popular coffee shop near campus developing sustainable practices. In a news release from July 2018, Starbucks outlined its plan to eliminate plastic straw usage by 2020. The release also said the company “designed, developed and manufactured a strawless lid, which will become the standard for all iced coffee, tea and espresso beverages.”

Starbucks’ commitment to reduce plastic packaging aims to have an impact on its overall output of plastic. According to the news release, “the movement to eliminate single-use plastic straws has been gaining tremendous momentum globally, with consumers showing increased concern for the greater issue of waste.”

– Feature Editor Lydia Niles contributed reporting.

srichter@syr.edu

Published on September 26, 2018 at 10:18 pm