I have been in coffee now for over twelve years. What is maddening to me, is that the price of coffee (c market) is virtually the same today as it was when I first started. I know all of the excuses that are flung about within the market; supply, demand, drought, speculation, too much rain, overproduction, etc. etc. And while all of these might explain in part the insane volatility in coffee, it does not excuse it.
What the market volatility does not convey, is the devastation the broken coffee pricing model has on the people growing coffee all over the globe. What it doesn't convey is the greed and profits made by big coffee companies when the market does what it does.
I won't make this a long rant, but it needs to be said. The human toll that the ongoing volatility in the coffee market has is a travesty. I can sleep at night because Transcend does not participate in the c market pricing madness, but far too many companies do, and it simply needs to end. Producers are due, at a minimum, an ability to cover their costs of production and more than that, they are due a standard of living that reflects the amount of work that goes into growing coffee. Alas, I know that I am dreaming of an alternate universe where fairness and decency triumphs over profit and greed, but one can always dream.
If you want to be part of the solution, stop supporting coffee companies that perpetuate the existence of this global crisis. Start asking questions about transparency. Where does the coffee come from, how much did the farmers get paid, what was the FOB (free on board) price for the coffee you are selling? If your coffee provider can't answer these questions, it might be time to start shopping elsewhere.