Coffee sustainability: the journey from bean to barista laid bare

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Gideon Long in Medellín, Colombia

Every day, millions of office workers fuel their mornings with a shot of espresso, a latte or a grande americano.

Yet how many spare even a moment to think of the sacrifices made to get the bean to the barista?

As they moan about the price of a cup of coffee, would they flush with embarrassment if they knew that for each plastic cup sold for $3 or $4 in the cafés of London, Manhattan and Tokyo, the farmers who produce the beans receive just 5 cents?