Inspiration from Abroad: A Farmer-Owned Coffee Brand!

Pachama Coffee is a unique organic coffee company because it is owned by coffee farmers. Instead of outside investors or shareholders owning the business, thousands of farming families from Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and Ethiopia collectively own the company. This means the people who grow the coffee also share in the success of the brand.

One of the nicest features of Pachamama is that each coffee includes information about where it comes from. Many products feature a short biography of the farmer or farming community that produced the beans.

Caffeine and pregnancy

The NHS advises limiting caffeine during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Tea, coffee, cola and energy drinks all contain caffeine. If you choose to drink caffeine, only one cup of either each day, know that many café coffees contain more caffeine than instant coffee. Or none to be safe. 

Disposal of Coffee Grounds

Avoid washing used coffee grounds down the sink, as they can contribute to blocked drains. A sink strainer, such as a SinkShield, can help catch any stray grounds before they enter the plumbing.

Although coffee grounds are often promoted as compostable, they should be binned or placed in food waste bins. Due to caffeine that could harm compost creatures (same with tea leaves).

The same for acidic food scraps (peppers, citrus, rhubarb, tomato and allium scraps – onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives).

Why Farmer Ownership Matters

Most big coffee brand are owned by multinational companies or shareholders. Their main aim is generate profits for investors.

Pachamama works differently. Because the farmers are the owners, they receive income not only from selling their coffee beans but also from the company’s success. This gives farming communities a greater share of the value created from every bag of coffee sold.

While no company can solve every challenge facing coffee growers, the farmer-owned model helps give producers more control over pricing, business decisions and long-term sustainability.

The Reality for Many Coffee Farmers

Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, yet many of the people who grow it earn very little. Most beans are bought on the global commodity market. Prices can fluctuate and even fall below the cost of production. When this happens, farmers may struggle to cover their costs.

So only a small percentage of the price you pay for a jar of coffee, reaches the farmer. Sometimes even only a few pence from the retail price. The rest covers processing, transport, packaging, roasting, marketing, retail costs and profits throughout the supply chain.

Many instant coffees are made primarily from Robusta beans because they are less expensive to produce and contain more caffeine. Higher-quality speciality coffees are usually made from Arabica beans, which generally command higher prices but also cost more to grow.

Choosing coffee from companies that prioritise transparency, direct relationships or farmer ownership can help support a fairer distribution of income within the coffee industry.

Organic Coffee

Pachamama’s coffees are certified organic. Organic farming avoids synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and instead focuses on working with natural ecosystems to maintain healthy soils and biodiversity.

Many coffee lovers also appreciate the flavour of organically grown speciality coffee, although taste will always depend on the bean variety, climate, altitude and roasting process.