Despite Disruptions Everywhere, the Green Coffee Trade Survived 2020

As the world got much smaller for most people in 2020, the role of coffee trading companies in connecting roasters to producers and their coffees grew both more important and more difficult.

Throughout the year, we witnessed coffee traders all over the world rise to the immense challenge of keeping businesses on both sides of the coffee chain informed, supplied and paid — despite disruptions at every imaginable turn due to the pandemic.

Here is a review of some of our top stories of 2020 focused on the green coffee trading business. For related stories, check out our year-in-review pieces on sustainability, opinion pieces and coffee production.

Sustainable Harvest Launches COVID-19 Producer Support Funds with $156K Seed

Portland, Oregon-based green coffee trading company Sustainable Harvest has seeded a donation fund with $156,000 to support coffee producers during COVID-19 restrictions, and the company is asking others in the industry to contribute through GoFundMe.

Blockchain-Backed Trading Platform iFinca Promises to Verify Farmgate Prices

A new app- and blockchain-based green coffee trading platform called iFinca is pitching the promise of traceability to ultimately give farmers a larger slice of the pie.

Novus Coffee Imports is Now Called Mercon Specialty