Coffee

Coffee is one of the most important internationally traded commodities. Most of the ca. USD 200 billion value that coffee generates globally accrues to brands, retailers, and supply chain operators; yet most of the risks are borne by the producers at origin countries. Intangibles associated with technology, design and branding as well as access to distribution channels play a significant role in defining the global value chain governance (GVC) and value appropriation. However, there is evidence that in the most dynamic market segments intangibles can be utilized to not only improve grower
value but also to increase the total value of the industry.
This paper highlights how the conditions associated with innovative consumption trends and logistical abilities (from origin through to retail) can enable the marketing of highly differentiated products that embed origin intellectual property. The implications are far reaching and include: a) new opportunities for coffee growing communities to improve their incomes; b) effects on the strategic direction of more vibrant and diverse global value chains; and c) lessons that likely apply to other consumer-facing commodities as well.
The paper describes: a) the coffee industry and its GVC structure; b) the role that intangible assets play in value creation from both the supply and demand perspective; and c) the current and potential role of intellectual property tools in creating and retaining value, as well as providing economic upgrade options.

Annual imports of coffee, in thousands of metric tons, by Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavian countries, Spain and Switzerland.
Data as submitted, with co-author Radin Fernando, for publication of Historical Statistics of Coffee Production and Trade from 1700 to 1960, Appendix.
Sources as referenced therein.

Coffee’s origin was in Ethiopia. Coffee’s use then spread from Ethiopia up through Egypt and Yemen. From its introduction to Yemen, coffee soon spread throughout the Arab world.

It was not until 1670 that coffee was first introduced to India as pure coffee. From its smuggling into India, coffee then made the leap to Italy before spreading into Europe, Indonesia and the Americas. It was Italy that truly played the biggest role in bringing coffee to Europe and the Americas. Prior to arriving in Italy, coffee was looked upon as a drink of the Muslim community because of the role that it played in religious rituals. However, once coffee came to Italy, Pope Clement VIII declared the drink to be an acceptable drink for Christians. Upon this declaration, coffee became more widespread than ever.

Resumo: Esta pesquisa analisou a permanência dos cafeicultores familiares na Microrregião Geográfica (MRG) de Londrina, que é formada pelos municípios de Londrina, Cambé, Ibiporã, Rolândia, Pitangueiras e Tamarana. Essa microrregião, localizada no Norte do Paraná, desenvolveu-se com base na atividade cafeeira, tornando-se uma área dinâmica por meio da expansão capitalista, tanto no campo como na cidade. Na década de 1960, verificou-se o apogeu da produção de café no Paraná, tornando Londrina a “Capital Mundial do Café”. Após isso, a produção de café entrou em declínio e foi substituída por lavouras temporárias e pastagens. A geada de 1975, que é um marco na história da cafeicultura do Paraná, transformou a realidade econômica e, principalmente, a social. Hoje, os produtores enfrentam diversas dificuldades de produção, como os baixos preços comercializados na venda do produto, o alto custo de insumos e a carência de mão de obra temporária, que é utilizada, geralmente, para a colheita, além de prejuízos com os fenômenos climáticos, como as geadas. Apesar disso, há ainda um percentual significativo de produtores familiares que permanece nessa atividade. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar a permanência desse produtor tendo o café como uma estratégia de reprodução social na MRG de Londrina. Para alcançar esse objetivo, procurou-se: identificar o papel da cafeicultura na renda e na vida do produtor rural; entender as formas de organização socioeconômica dos produtores que ainda permanecem na atividade; investigar a adequação tecnológica praticada pelos cafeicultores conforme as exigências do mercado atual; averiguar as relações sociais de trabalho que predominam na cafeicultura; identificar as políticas públicas direcionadas à cafeicultura. A metodologia de interpretação utilizada foi baseada em pesquisas bibliográficas centradas na agricultura familiar, na industrialização do campo e na estratégia de reprodução social. Outras fontes consultadas foram os jornais e obras das bibliotecas universitárias e do IAPAR. Na metodologia de investigação, foram consultados dados do Censo Agropecuário do IBGE, IPARDES, SEAB e EMATER. A fim de conhecer a realidade do cafeicultor familiar, realizaram-se entrevistas estruturadas com 26 produtores localizados nos municípios de Londrina, Cambé e Rolândia, por haver presença mais significativa dessa produção. A análise dos fatos indicou que a permanência do produtor familiar de café deve-se à possibilidade de auferir renda, o que se considera uma estratégia de reprodução social. Como desafio à permanência deles, novas tecnologias estão sendo apresentadas pelos órgãos de pesquisas e de extensão rural.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract: This research aimed to analyse the coffee-producing families’ presence in such activity in Londrina’s Geographic Micro-region (LGM), which comprises the cities of Londrina, Cambé, Ibiporã, Rolândia, Pitangueiras and Tamarana. This micro-region, located in the north of Paraná, boosted its economy through coffee cultivation and managed to become a dynamic area via capitalist growth both in countryside and in town. In the 1960’s, because coffee production reached its heyday, Londrina got known as the “World Capital of Coffee”. Coffee production plummets aftwerwards and is substituted for temporary crops and pasture. The 1975’s frost, which was a milestone in the history of Parana’s coffee production, triggered off changes not only in economy but chiefly in social aspects. Nowadays, coffee growers address several production-related problems, such as low prices upon selling, high-priced agricultural inputs, shortage of temporary labour force (mainly for harvesting) and also inclement weather conditions, such as frost. Albeit amidst these hurdles, there is still a considerable amount of coffee-producing families who opt for remaining in this activity. Thus, the goal of this research was to analyse the coffee growers’ presence in such activity and coffee as a means of social reproduction in LGM. So as to attain such objective, the role played by coffee cultivation on coffee growers’ income and life has been identified as well as the understanding on how coffee growers still in activity organise themselves, socioeconomically speaking; the technology according to current market’s requirements used by coffee producers has been investigated; the social relationships at work present in coffee growing have been observed and Government-based policies towards coffee cultivation have also been checked. The methodology of analysis employed in the study has been based upon bibliographic research focussed on family farming, industrialisation process in countryside and on social reproduction strategy. Other sources of information, such as newspapers and IAPAR’s and university libraries’ books have also been referred to. Concerning the methodology of investigation, the farming-related census data of the following organisations have been analysed: IBGE, IPARDES, SEAB and EMATER. In order to perceive the coffee-producing families’ reality, structured interviews with 26 coffee growers who dwell in the cities of Londrina, Cambé and Rolândia have been carried out due to a more intense cultivation of such crop. Factual analysis has shown that coffee-producing families have been in this activity owing to possible income earning, which represents a social reproduction strategy. As a challenge to these coffee growers’ presence, new technologies have been presented by research and rural extension organisations.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Epidemiological data have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cardiovascular disease or overall mortality. A comprehensive estimation of individual polyphenol intake in nutritional cohorts is needed to gain a better understanding of this association. The aim of this study was to estimate the quantitative intake of polyphenols and the major dietary sources in the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) cohort using individual food consumption records. METHODS AND RESULTS: The PREDIMED study is a large, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, controlled 5-year feeding trial aimed at assessing the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. A total of 7200 participants, aged 55-80 years, completed a validated 1-year food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline. Polyphenol consumption was calculated by matching food consumption data from the FFQ with the rece...

Transoceanic passage brought nearly 189,000 immigrants from Japan to Brazil between 1908 and 1941. They were often geographically isolated in Japanese “colonies” as coffee plantation workers and thus able to maintain their Japanese linguistic and cultural identity. A new imagined community coalesced in the several Japanese-language immigrant newspapers that also published locally produced serial fiction. This paper reads two representative works by Sugi Takeo, pen name of Takei Makoto (1909-2011), who was a prolific contributor of original content to the Burajiru Jihô newspaper. In the short stories, “Kafé-en o uru” (Selling the coffee plantation, 1933) and “Tera Roshya” (Terra rossa, 1937), it is the moonshine sellers who see steady profits from every race and type of immigrant laborer while the Japanese newcomers who naively dream of riches by bringing coffee to market reap only a bitter brew of poverty for their efforts.

This paper particularly aims to investigate the attributes of Turkish coffee that effected consumers’ coffee drinking experience; a previously neglected area of research. Another main purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ satisfaction level with their Turkish coffee drinking experience taken away from home. A quantitative approach was employed and 528 people were surveyed through the use of a structured questionnaire. Accordingly, descriptive analysis to profile respondents, exploratory factor analysis to test the validity of the construct, comparative and regression analysis to detect the relationship between variables were carried out. This study found that Turkish consumers are not satisfied with their Turkish coffee drinking experience away from home. It was also revealed that ‘presentation’ attribute of Turkish coffee was of a critical importance effecting consumers’ satisfaction, while ‘product’ attributes (fresh coffee ground, good aroma, etc.) were found to have the lowest effect. Analysis also suggested females appear to be more sensitive to the presentation of Turkish coffee than males. This paper provides an introductory analysis for managers to benefit. It is crucial for café managers to understand their customers’ preferences to attract more customers and increase their satisfaction level through the results of this study. This is a noteworthy paper since it evaluates Turkish coffee drinking experience through a marketing perspective in contrast with the traditional, social and cultural context of ample previous researches.

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged as a catalyst for poverty reduction and economic development. Yet its role in conflict reduction and social development is largely understudied. This paper presents evidence from a field survey conducted among a sample of Rwanda's emerging specialty coffee farmers and workers at coffee washing stations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that quantitatively analyses economic liberalization and conflict reduction in one of Rwanda's most pivotal industries, i.e., coffee, and one of the few studies addressing the link between entrepreneurship in the developing world and intergroup peace-building. We approximated conflict reduction with an attitude of reconciliation between ethnic groups in Rwanda. Results from statistical analyses uncovered significant correlations between economic and livelihood advancement with comparatively more positive attitudes to reconciliation, especially where intergroup contact has increased alongside new incentives for collaboration across group boundaries. This suggests that enhanced entrepreneurship in Rwanda's liberalized coffee industry may provide the context for increased commercial intergroup contact, which in turn may constitute an opportunity for conflict reduction. We conclude with suggestions for follow-up research, to further analyze which types of economic policy changes may also hold the potential to contribute to positive social change.

Résumé

L'entrepreneuriat est largement reconnu comme étant un catalyseur pour la réduction de la pauvreté et pour le développement économique. Néanmoins, il y a peu d’études examinant le rôle de l'entrepreneuriat dans la réduction des conflits violents et le développement social. L'article suivant discute des résultats d'une étude réalisée à partir d'un sondage mené auprès d'un échantillon de producteurs de café de spécialité, un secteur emergent au Rwanda, et des travailleurs dans des stations de lavage de café. Au dire des auteurs, ceci est la première etude qui analyse de façon quantitative la libéralisation de l’économie et la réduction des conflits violents dans l'une des industries les plus importantes au Rwanda, l'industrie du café, et l'une des seules études se penchant sur le lien existant entre l'entrepreneuriat dans les pays en développement et la consolidation de la paix entre des groups qui s'opposent. La réduction de conflits violents fut estimée en utilisant comme mesure l'attitude de reconciliation entre les groupes ethniques au Rwanda. Les résultats des analyses statistiques ont révélé des corrélations significatives entre l'avancement économique et l'amélioration des moyens de subsistance et des attitudes plus positives envers la réconciliation, particulièrement là où il y a une augmentation des contacts entre les divers groupes et des nouvelles incitatives pour la collaboration entre les groupes. Ces résultats laissent que croire les activités entrepreneuriales accrues dans l'industrie libéralisée du café rwandais pourrait mettre en place un contexte favorable pour une augmentation des contacts commerciaux entre les divers groupes. Ces contacts pourraient avoir comme effet de contribuer à réduire les conflits dans la région. Pour terminer, les auteurs apportent des suggestions pour des recherches de suivi afin d'examiner de façon plus approfondie quel genre de changements apportés aux politiques économiques pourraient être des catalyseurs de changements sociaux positifs.

The essay in question suggests a series of sociological reflections on the actual role played by coffee bars, referred to as “third places”. Starting from the social history of the coffeehouses and using the results of three ethnographic researches regarding face-to-face interactions that take shape in some coffee-bars in three different Italian territories, we will think about three forms of sociality that emerge in these spaces: sociability, public sphere and social capital.

Coffee has been my latest subject of interest. People claimed that coffee helped them to shed extra weight from their body that ignited my curiosity. I researched on the subject and learned that a few of them got rid of the extra body fat from its consumption.