Behind the Bean: Coffee and Conversation with Fairtrade Farmers

Meet the people behind your daily cup in this fascinating conversation hosted by Fairtrade America and Chicago Fair Trade!

Did you know that this year, the Specialty Coffee Expo is coming to Chicago? As the biggest specialty coffee event in the world arrives in our city, we have an exciting opportunity to hear directly from Fairtrade coffee farmers about their incredible work to transform their communities, one cup at a time.

Join us for a fascinating conversation with farmer leaders Dejene Dadi, General Manager of Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative in Ethiopia, and Victor Cordero, General Manager of the Red Ecolsierra cooperative in Colombia, at the beautiful Sky Lounge by Bozzuto (757 W Madison). Not only will you learn all about the day-to-day realities of coffee farming and the impact Fairtrade certification has on coffee farming communities – you’ll also have the chance to try out their delicious coffee for yourselves!

An estimated 2 billion cups of coffee are brewed every single day, and worldwide, millions of people depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Yet many are unable to earn a reliable living from this beloved and valuable crop. Fairtrade certification helps give farmers stability in this unpredictable environment by guaranteeing farmers a Fairtrade Minimum Price for their coffee, which protects them from sudden price drops on the commodity market. Fairtrade certification also gives farmers a Fairtrade Premium: an extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price that farmers and workers can invest in business or community projects of their choice.

Join us for what promises to be a fascinating conversation accompanied by Fairtrade-certified coffee, wine, and snacks at the beautiful downtown location of the Sky Lounge by Bozzuto at 727 W Madison, an iconic apartment community created with social connectivity in mind!