How One Coffee Company is Changing Lives in Africa

Coffee is a major industry around the world. In the United States alone, just over half of all adults over 18 drink coffee every day. This figure equals about 150 million Americans. The industry as a whole is worth an estimated $102 billion in 2020, and it’s projected to grow incrementally in the future. 

Unfortunately, although there’s so much money to be made from coffee, surprisingly little of that revenue goes to the people who grow it. Farmers in African and South American countries often struggle to earn a living wage, even while coffee brands rake in millions of dollars. 

Thankfully, some coffee companies are committed to changing this dynamic. Today, we’re going to look at Twiga Coffee and how it’s trying to revolutionize a centuries-old industry. 

The Problem: Coffee Production in African Countries

Coffee is grown around the world, notably in warm and humid climates. Many coffee beans are found in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. However, despite African accounting for a substantial portion of the global coffee trade, farmers are not seeing more money flowing into their pockets. 

There are a few reasons for this disparity. Let’s break them down: 

Lack of Resources

Coffee production requires immense resources to create reliable, delicious beans. In recent decades, scientists have figured out better ways of making coffee sustainable and better for the environment. For example, pruning coffee plants and growing shade brush next to the plants helps improve yields. 

Unfortunately, poorer farmers don’t have access to these resources or have the necessary capital to invest in practices that generate more coffee beans. Even worse, this cycle can compound on itself. Lower yields mean lower income, which means less money to spend on new plants and equipment. 

Climate Change

As the climate shifts, food production will be impacted the most. It’s estimated that roughly half of all coffee-producing land will be too hot and arid to grow beans in about 30 years. When that happens, many rural farmers will lose their livelihood, and consumers will have to pay exorbitant prices for their next cup. 

The lack of money for new equipment and resources is especially troubling when disease and drought affect coffee plants. Again, the circumstances create a vicious cycle where farmers can’t get as many beans, so they don’t get as much money to protect their plants. Over time, the problems only get worse, leading to coffee shortages. 

Trading Limitations

Even if African farmers have the resources to invest in new plants and growing procedures, many of them don’t see the value of those investments. Unfortunately, because of how trading works in countries like Ethiopia, the farmer’s concerns are not unfounded. The primary issue is a lack of concrete financial data. 

Outside the country, many coffee purveyors know that wet washing the beans yields better results. However, the farmers don’t see the immediate benefit, so they choose to rely on traditional drying methods. This process allows farmers to sell one crop throughout the year because the beans won’t rot or spoil as quickly. 

Compounding the problem is that farmers have to sell their beans at established trading centers. So, if these centers aren’t providing the necessary data, there isn’t a cohesive strategy for farmers to follow. So, the quality of the beans varies erratically, creating problems down the supply chain. So, even as consumer tastes become more refined, coffee farmers are not adapting as well as they could, leading to slow growth and smaller profit margins. 

Farm Sizes

In Latin American countries, coffee farms are sprawling estates with hundreds of plants. For East African farmers, their crop yields are significantly smaller because they don’t have as much arable land. So, even though roughly five million people in the region are involved in the coffee industry, they’re spread out over hundreds of small-batch farms. 

So, even accounting for the issues listed above, growing coffee is not as profitable as it could be elsewhere. When 20 farms are competing for the same business, that competition drives prices down. By comparison, in Latin America, the same coffee yield could come from a handful of farms, which enables each one to increase its trading power. 

This collection of smaller farms also contributes to the lack of standardized quality. If one farm invests in new technologies and growing methods, it may not produce enough coffee to get noticed. So, they don’t make much money from their investments, leading to hesitation among other growers. 

How Twiga Coffee is Helping Local African Communities

Thankfully, the problems plaguing African coffee farmers are not insurmountable. Even better, consumers can improve the situation by buying higher quality coffee directly from sustainably-sourced companies. 

Twiga Coffee started with a vision – to find the best African coffee beans available. The company was founded by two brothers who grew up on a coffee plantation in Nigeria. Having such prolonged exposure to the growing process meant that the brothers understood the difference between excellent and subpar coffee beans. 

Over the years, the pair has traveled to 18 different countries and sampled over 500 unique coffee blends. This effort has paid off, and Twiga Coffee is one of the best artisan brews in the region. 

Twiga differs from other coffee companies because it invests in its farmers. The brothers know the value of improved growing and cultivation practices, so they incentivize the growers to adopt these changes. By focusing on making better coffee from the ground up (literally), they’re making it easier for farmers to see tangible benefits from their efforts. 

Additionally, Twiga Coffee donates 10 percent of all sales to local ecological and educational foundations. So, every bag you purchase means that you’re helping local African communities. Over time, this investment will yield impressive social benefits, making it a win-win for everyone. You get a better cup of coffee, and you get to help African farmers earn a living.