Making a cup of morning Joe involves more than water and a French press. How coffee ends up in your supermarket is a muddy process, where many conventional coffee bean farmers receive low wages and endure long work hours. To address these issues, multiple Fair Trade certifications aim to empower coffee bean farmers, provide better wages and working conditions. To attain Fair Trade status, coffee bean farmers must meet environmental and social standards placed on the coffee bean production process. These standards bring a higher price paid for Fair Trade coffee, which was designed to ensure coffee bean farmers receive a fair share of the profits. Unfortunately, suppliers down the line can charge consumers higher premiums without passing that difference onto the farmer.  READ MORE