Caring about coffee and those who harvest it.
At Three Sad Tigers Coffee, we are passionate about two things: coffee and community. That is why we source our specialty coffee from farmers and thoughtful supply chain contractors who are intent on improving the economic conditions for their workers. We fully recognize that these farmhands are responsible for the premium coffee we produce, and we want their work to be rewarded.
Fair Trade & Rain Forest Alliance: Certifications without impact.
In theory, “Fair Trade and “Rainforest Alliance” certifications for coffee are well intentioned ideas; however, in truth, these certifications are controlled by cumbersome bureaucracies, and only the largest farms actually benefit from the practice — the smaller farms experience very little positive impact. And when smaller coffee farmers band together and form co-ops, they soon discover that their collective efforts, even operating corporately, are simply not sufficient enough to reap the benefits of big name certifications. The system, as it currently stands, is stacked in the favor of the biggest farms.
It is not uncommon for smaller farmers in some regions to lose their buyers who now insist on these certifications, and all because they were unable to afford or qualify for those certifications. When that happens, these small farmers often feel forced to sell their crop to coffee brokers or larger co-ops — who then sell to coffee brokers, who then sell to large exporters. This quickly becomes the only way for smaller farmers to be able to sell their coffee to international markets. We believe this practice is remarkably unfair, and it does nothing to solve the problems smaller farmers face working within the coffee industry.
To ensure everyone in our supply chain is treated fairly, Three Sad Tigers Coffee has shunned the need for certifications. If we were to insist our farmers had them, we’d be unable to pay fair, top-market value to the farmers we’ve come to know and respect. We’d also be unable to ensure we’re investing in the individuals and families who live and work on those farms. Instead, we take every possible measure to be sure we’re working with the right people — and that the farmers with whom we partner are seeing the benefits of our innovative supply chain.”
Passing on profits.
The main way Three Sad Tigers Coffee is able to ensure farmers and their labor force get a better take of the profits is a simplification of the coffee bean supply chain. By sourcing our beans directly from farmers, we’ve been able to eliminate the long supply chains and minimize the changing of hands compared with other coffee brands.
With a typical coffee supply chain, your coffee beans can make as many as 10 or more stops between the farmer and you. By reducing that number to just a couple of stops, we’re able to pay our farmers much more, and they, in turn, are able to pay their workforce much more.
Fill every cup with hope.
While most coffee companies would be satisfied with themselves for increasing the wages and profits of coffee farmers and their workers, such an accomplishment is just the beginning for Three Sad Tigers Coffee. We want to be able to do more for the communities where our coffee is grown and harvested. That’s why our profits directly support a variety of nonprofit efforts that positively impact the people who live in and around the regions that produce our coffee beans.