The Certification Debate

At Snobby Coffee, we know what really matters: ethically sourced, exceptional-tasting beans that support sustainable farming and yes, that often includes small-scale growers who don’t fit neatly into certification boxes.

The Certification Debate: Why It’s Complicated

Certifications Aren’t Simple Goodness

Labels like Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance aim to ensure fair prices, sustainability, and traceability but those benefits come with limits. Many coffee critics and academics have pointed out that only 18–37% of coffee from certified farms sold under those labels. The rest are sold at low market prices, making certification costs burdensome for small farmers.

Meanwhile, independent studies reveal that the economic impact is inconsistent: in Nicaragua and Ethiopia, Fair Trade certification generated little income uplift, and enforcement of standards remains patchy.

Snobby Coffee’s Approach: Substance Over Stickers

We Don’t Do Labels for Show

We’re wary of certifications used mainly for marketing. Our priority is real quality, fair wages, and direct support to producers not just a logo on a bag.

We Buy on Values, Not Just Verification

We choose beans based on taste, direct-trade ethics, fair wages, and strong importer relationships not just label status.

Why We Think Certification Isn’t Enough

Certification Is Costly

Organic and Fair-Trade certifications often require fees that burden small farmers. Some evidence suggests certified farmers may even earn less due to certification costs outweighing premiums.

Limited Market Reach

When acres of certified beans exceed buyer demand, cooperatives may still sell much of their harvest at standard commodity prices eroding both profit and sustainability.

International Inefficiencies

Many cooperatives operate as monopolies producers can’t freely switch buyers or negotiate better terms, limiting value directly reaching smallholder farmers.

Quality vs. Quantity Conflict

Certifications often don’t reward extraordinary beans. Even Fair Trade-certified co-ops may sell premium lots to non-certified buyers who pay more for quality not just labels.

How We Actually Build Ethical Coffee: It’s Not a Sticker

• Direct sourcing with long-term partners, paying 30–100% over fair-trade prices, especially for micro lots and top-tier farmers
• Traceability and transparency, so you know exactly where each bean comes from
• Lab-tested purity assurance, checking for no mold, yeasts, mycotoxins, or heavy metals
• Roasting tailored per lot, elevating origin characteristics not masking them

Snobby Coffee’s View:

Certifications can be a good start, but they’re often flawed in execution and reach. At Snobby, we go deeper: we invest in relationships, pay premium prices for quality, and roast each bean to unlock its ultimate flavor.

We believe real ethics and taste come from how you source, roast, and reward people not just with the stamps you paste on a product.