Why Fair Trade Isn't Always Fair, Ministering through Building Local Economies, Sustainable Farming for Sustainable Business with Joseph Stazzone of Cafe Kreyol

The James Quandahl Show

Joseph Stazzone is the Chief Coffee Hunter at Cafe Kreyol, which create sustainable employment in Haiti, using specialty grade, organic coffee.

Joey believes farmers should get paid based on the quality of their product and he practices this belief by paying around 300% higher wages than what the Fair Trade label requires.

His story continues as he works to alleviate poverty in rural coffee growing regions, one cup of coffee at a time.

In this episode, you will discover:

-Coffee quality: beans pick up the flavors of the land around it. Good and poor quality exist everywhere...02:00

• Coffee is scored on a 100 point scale considering a variety of factors

-Cafe Kreyol: the origin story of the business...04:30

• 2011 week long church mission trip to Haiti got Joey thinking about the vague intent of the trip and the missed opportunity for real impact

-Healthy economies are built on some level of investment and buy-in: replenishing farms with trees sold at cost...09:30

-The self-sustaining growth and expansion flowing from Joey's initial work...11:45

• The process for choosing good candidates as growers to partner with: see who is already showing up
• Haiti's first award winning coffee: Zombie Desert. 2021 Coffee Review top 30 coffees of the year. 92 points

-God made good of the church mission trip as a catalyst, but that is not license to continue such endeavors...16:00

-The opportunity deficit. 65% unemployment in Haiti...19:00

-What Americans can do to help support growers around the world...21:30

• Stop importing goods and sending huge shipments of free items. It hampers the local economy.
• Encourage and support local growers, artisans, and goods.

-Learn what a vision trip is and why it is superior to a mission trip...24:00

-The deceptive marketing of Fair Trade labels...27:50

• Transparent trade, direct trade, commodity markets, and fair price

-Learn what is beyond fair trade to become a more ethical consumer...32:00

-Joey explains transparent trade and how to use consumer inquiry from the bottom of the supply chain to influence producers...36:00

-Specialty coffee transition guide: excellent work out of Emory University working for fair wages through data...39:00

-What to look for when you want coffee you know is healthy, uncontaminated and mycotoxin free...43:10

-USDA Organic certification, costs passed on to the consumer, and trusting who you buy from...46:30

-How to be more like Joey in your own life: follow God's direction to discover where you can be useful right now...49:30

-All of the information on how to support Joey's work and support fair and ethical wages for coffee growers...51:30

Guest's social media handles

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

Resources mentioned:

13 minute Documentary

Cafe Kreyol website

Transparent Trade website

The Singing Rooster website