Full transparancy, we got the bulk of this article from another company, Atlas Coffee Company, and thought it was a great share and explanation to explain supporting small, local businesses that are ethically sourcing their coffee (such as us 🤗).
The Truth About Big Coffee - source
Well, guess what? The dirty secret is that big coffee producers are capitalizing on that (daily coffee) routine - and it’s significantly worse for you, farmers, and even the environment.
You see, coffee comes from the fruit of a coffee tree. And like all crops, there is a perfect moment in time to harvest that coffee fruit - a moment in time that makes that coffee taste INCREDIBLE.
Unfortunately big coffee companies are mostly focused on extracting higher profit margins from your coffee routine. So they use what’s called “machine harvesting” to pick their coffee. Basically, fields of coffee trees are harvested all at once by these behemoth gas guzzling machines.
The result? Most of the coffee that gets picked isn’t ripe, which is one reason your cup of coffee ends up tasting SO BAD. And, in other industries that machine harvest (ex. wine) it’s well known that materials other than the harvest crop can fall into collection bins - including leaves, bugs, and even dead birds.
Even worse? Machine harvesting takes jobs away from farmers across the world and can also be really bad for the environment.
After harvest, and in an effort to mask all of the shortcuts taken, most coffee chains over-roast their beans. Over-roasting burns out all of the real flavors and leaves it tasting like charcoal, bitter and burnt.
Big coffee companies will try to spin this in marketing as BOLD or FULL-BODIED, but in reality it’s just really really burnt and they’re banking on you not being able to tell the difference.
So take it for what it is, but we know feel really good that we are able to know a little more about the impact our coffee sourcing has on the environment, the people at origin, and for you.
On top of these impacts, your purchases from a local, small business is SOOOOO good for your local city & economy. You are creating jobs and paying taxes. You are telling a local business that you support what they bring to your city. Small businesses literally make the fingerprints of a city and they NEED you!
Think about it, when you think about that favorite city you love to visit… what comes to mind? The chain restaurants and coffee shops? Or the eclectic, unique, small, local businesses with personality?
We love being a small part of the fingerprint of Charlotte and love bringing you beans that are generally better for the farmers, environment, and for you!
Thanks for coming to our TED Talk.
-Enderly Coffee Co.
