Class IV: What Makes Us unique

Jun 6

Fair Trade

To put the global coffee market into perspective, coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world. Oil is number one. Coffee that is labeled with the Fair Trade mark lets consumers know that farmers and traders have met rigorous internationally agreed upon social, economic, and environmental standards.

Fair Trade is especially important for smallholder farmers who make up about 80% of global coffee production. And, unfortunately, they are one of the most mistreated, underpaid, and marginalized populations in the global coffee trade system. For these small-scale farmers, Fair Trade means:

Better working conditions.
Forced labor and child labor are prohibited.
A “Fair Trade Minimum Price” for coffee to help protect them from sudden price drops related to market volatility.
A “Fair Trade Premium,” in addition to the selling price of their coffee, so that they can invest in their business and environmental stewardship and enhance the quality of the coffee they produce.
Higher Fair Trade Minimum Prices for Organically grown coffee.
Long-term trading partnerships and access to pre-financing capital to stabilize their business.

Organic

Did you know that conventional coffee is among the most chemically treated foods in the world? It’s estimated that every acre of coffee trees get treated with 250 lbs of agrochemicals. This means your daily beans are typically sprayed with a cocktail of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, that (spoiler alert) aren’t exactly beneficial to human biology, when ingested. Maybe not the absolute worst thing to be taking in every once in a while, but as something most people ingest [multiple cups of] daily? Organic matters.

At Class IV, we pride ourselves on taking the health of our customers, friends and families AND the health of our coffee farmers seriously, which is why we source only organic coffee beans. The “Organic” seal signifies that food has been grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and other chemical methods. Generally speaking, organic foods are held to higher standards... which translates to higher nutrient density.

Studies have even found that because organic coffee isn’t treated with harmful chemicals, the coffee is higher in antioxidants (sometimes as much as 65% higher), minerals, and vitamins than conventionally grown coffee.

And it tastes better, too. Many people who have made the switch from conventional to organic prefer the flavor of organic.

This may go without saying, but organic is also better for the environment. Compared with conventional farming practices, organic farming practices are driven by environmental stewardship. And, as mentioned above, farmers receive higher Fairtrade Minimum Prices for growing organic Coffee.

Single Origin

What does “single origin” mean? Coffee that is labeled as single origin can be traced to where it was grown–its origin: the farmer, farm/co-op, and region. If you don’t see the words “single origin” on your coffee label, you are likely drinking a blend of coffee beans from several different geographies.

There is nothing wrong with blends; however, single origin coffees have a distinct flavor profile that is rooted in one specific place. If you are seeking a unique coffee experience, single origin coffee is as unaltered and pure as it gets.