“Life isn’t fair”. Who among us have not been on the receiving end of this annoying explanation for the never ending inequalities we face every day? As a child, my parents were constantly reminding my squabbling sibling and I of this; and unfortunately, they weren’t wrong. Things are not always equal and some people end up better off than others. But why do we, the majority of humans, just passively accept this as a universal truth? Shouldn’t we be doing our best to bring society as close to a satisfactory code of ethics as possible? At Belle Surf, we believe that is exactly what we should be doing, and we our passionate in our philosophy that hard work is always worth it!
Coffee is a magnificent thing. From the rich and complex aromas released as the fresh beans are ground to the golden tiger-striped crema layering that perfect dopio espresso, there is simply nothing in the world quite like it. What many don’t realize, however, is the journey these little magic cherries embark upon to end up in your cup.
The ideal conditions for Arabica coffee to grow exist in regions very near the equator with lots of rainfall, making countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Colombia prime real estate for this type of agriculture. Here, some of the most flavorful and high quality beans are sourced. The unfortunate thing is that many of these perfect coffee-growing locations are very poor, and as a result, desperate to export crops. This allows rich countries to take advantage of struggling farmers, and pay next to nothing for the coffee. Sadly, countries in this predicament often never get to indulge in their own products because they simply cannot afford not to sell every last bean. Which brings us to why buying fair trade is so important!
Fair trade is essentially a contract between the farms overseas and the distributors and consumers here that guarantees a fair price for their crops, substantial enough to cover everyday operating and production costs despite a fluctuating economy. Basically, if the product is fair trade, you can rest easy knowing the farmer was able to reap the benefits of his hard work. At Belle Surf Cafe, this is super important to us! Our roasters carefully select the tastiest coffees from all over the world and build awesome relationships with the tenacious people who grow it. We always feature a bold South American and African blend alongside a rotating selection of single origin offerings. Always fair trade, so you can confidently know that everyone has enjoyed the fruit of their labor, from the farm owners, to the planters and harvesters, us, and of course, you! A mug filled to the brim with that glorious caffeinated liquid, guilt-free!