Socioeconomics of Coffee - a Standford business students' perspective

Stanford MBA students travelled to Guatemala in December 2007 to explore the socioeconomics of coffee farming and fair trade practices:

"So, what kind of coffee should you buy? Fair trade? Organic? Starbucks? We hoped to figure this out ... as we took a look at coffee farming and supply chains in Guatemala... Ten days, six coffee farms, erratic showers, four blackouts, and one earthquake later, we’re still not sure. But the trip was a rich experience, one that raised questions far beyond coffee. Some of us are still puzzled as to where we should buy our morning cup. But we’re also thinking about corporate social responsibility, agriculture, education, and the challenges that the small farmers we met are facing every day."

(Stanford Business Magazine, May 2008, feature story)