The Rise of Synthetic Coffee: A Concerning Trend
A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted the emergence of synthetic coffee, a laboratory-created alternative to traditional coffee beans. It aims to recreate the flavor, aroma and chemical composition of natural coffee by using fermentation of plant-based ingredients and microbes as an alternative production method to traditional coffee farming. This development is driven by the anticipated decline in real coffee production due to climate change and the environmental impact of transporting coffee from distant locations to meet global demand.
This makes us sad. The mere thought of lab-grown or beanless coffee is unsettling, as we consider coffee as an individualized and nuanced experience.
In the United States, Hawaii is the only state where coffee is grown locally, and here at Hog Heaven Coffee we are acutely aware of the environmental changes affecting our farm (industry). Each year, we’ve had to adjust to shifting weather patterns, altered harvest times, and dealing with invasion of new pests. Despite these obstacles, we’re committed to our land and in growing coffee for direct-to-consumer consumption.
What can you do? Reject the synthetic coffee. Buying direct from locally produced coffee farms contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change on the coffee industry. Be willing to pay premium price for locally grown coffee to ensure fair compensation and incentivize sustainable farming practices. No small coffee farmer will get rich from the price of coffee.
Cutting out the middlemen and buying direct reduces transportation emissions, encourages climate-smart agriculture through fair pricing. By doing so, you empower us, coffee farmers to continue to produce Hawaii coffee that is rich in complexity and flavor.
Help stave off the artificial and cherish the real taste of coffee, one sip at a time.