We all drink coffee en masse, also called the black gold. According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the average Dutch person drinks about half a liter of coffee per day. We just missed out on the number 1 position in the world. But those pre-packaged beans that we so easily throw into the machine, where do they actually come from? With blockchain we will find out soon enough!

Coffee and its producers

The best coffee producing countries are all located on the so-called coffee belt. This is the ideal location around the equator, which ensures the right climate to grow the coffee plant. The Arabica plants grow at the top of the belt and the Robusta plants at the bottom. Kenya and Ethiopia can label themselves as the producers of the best coffee in the world. This region is shown in the following image:

IMG

But we don’t really know who the producing farmers actually are. Let alone that it is known what percentage of the total yield the farmers receive. According to the company Moyee Coffee, 85% of the total coffee value ends up in the pockets of a number of large multinationals and the remaining 15% is distributed among the farmers.

The founders of Moyee Coffee find this division unfair to say the least and with their initiative they want to restore the coffee chain. They want to create a 50/50 balance between coffee producers and coffee consumers. A balance where 20% of the value goes to the farmers and three times more value remains in the coffee-producing country.

Normally, the unroasted beans are exported and processed elsewhere. At Moyee Coffee, the roasting and packaging of the coffee will take place in the country of origin. Moyee Coffee only takes care of the sale and the total value obtained is divided neatly. The consumer does not notice this because the price remains the same. Countries such as Ethiopia are reaping the benefits of this. The added value is in the roasting of the beans and this process now remains in the country itself. If you’re curious about what else impact Moyee Coffee is having, check out their Impact Report.

The following animation video explains the idea of Moyee Coffee well:

Coffee on the blockchain

To show that the process is indeed fair, they have used blockchain to record every step in the coffee process, from picking to sale. On the website of fairchain you will find the results that have been achieved so far.

Thanks to the registration on the blockchain, everyone can see where the coffee comes from, who picked it, how it was distributed and how it ended up in your basket. It is also stated who will receive what % of the realizable value. This is a wonderful example of blockchain in practice!

Taste coffee

They have a total of five different types of coffee and these can already be tasted at a number of coffee shops in the Netherlands. You can also order them on their website. This can be done in a subscription form, where you receive coffee every month, or you can order per bag. We got one sent home and were very satisfied with the rich taste.

Finally

We write about blockchain every week and are very pleased that we are now seeing a practical example! When we come across another great initiative, we will write about it. Do you know or are you working on a great initiative yourself, then you can always contact us!

We wish Moyee Coffee and the farmers good luck with their business and make a ‘cup of coffee’ ourselves since it tastes very good!