Coffee is more than just a morning ritual for millions of people; it's a global commodity with a MASSIVE impact on ecosystems and communities.
But while the aroma, taste, and caffeine may bring you joy each morning, there's a great chance your coffee is hiding some dirty secrets.
You see, most of the coffee grown (~75%) in the world is considered "sun-grown."
And as the term suggests, with sun-grown coffee, the plants are exposed directly to the sun. This is in direct contrast to the way that coffee plants evolved to grow, which is UNDER the canopy of larger trees.
Below is a picture of a typical sun-grown coffee plantation. As you can see, it's a monoculture environment.
The advantage of growing coffee in the sun comes down to simple economics, as these plantations provide cheaper coffee for the consumer and higher profits for the corporation.
That's because sun-grown coffee provides a very high yield, due to the fact that being exposed to direct sunlight speeds up the maturation of the beans.
Additionally, sun-grown coffee plantations are efficient, since as many coffee plants are packed together as possible. There is ZERO wasted space in these fields.
But, this cheap coffee has many consequences, both environmental and social. Personally, I try to avoid drinking sun-grown coffee whenever possible!
Here are FIVE negative impacts of drinking sun-grown coffee:
#1. Deforestation
Unlike traditional shade-grown coffee, which thrives under the protective canopy of diverse forests, sun-grown coffee requires the clearing of vast tracts of land. And since coffee only thrives in tropical regions, it's typically sensitive rainforest habitats that get clear-cut.
In fact, coffee production is a leading driver of deforestation in tropical regions. Between 1980 and 1995, over 6 million acres of forest were cleared for coffee farming in Central America alone.
Deforestation has many negative effects, including habitat loss for countless species, along with being a contributor to climate change.
#2. Loss of biodiversity
When a rainforest is cleared for a coffee plantation, it's a disaster for wildlife. These monoculture farms only support a fraction of the species that a diverse rainforest can.
For example, take a look at the image below. Studies have shown that Bird Friendly shade-grown coffee farms support almost 300% more bird species than sun-grown plantations.
This fact is very important if you live in North America and care about the birds in your backyard. Many birds, such as orioles and warblers, migrate south to tropical areas during winter. If they can’t find appropriate habitats to spend their winters, they won’t survive. As more and more rain forests are destroyed to produce coffee, many birds are having a much harder time surviving and finding places to live.
Birds are not the only animals that benefit from shade-grown coffee farms. They also provide essential habitats for mammals, reptiles, amphbians and insects.
If you look at these next two pictures, it's EASY to see why. This first image is a picture of a sun-grown coffee plantation. It's hard to image a Harpy Eagle flying through the canopy or a jaguar living nearby.
Now, take a look at this picture of a shade-grown coffee farm.
The smaller plants you see in the foreground are coffee bushes, growing comfortably in the shade of other trees.
#3. Chemical Pollution / Habitat degradation
Sun-grown coffee often relies heavily on agrochemicals, which pollute water and soil, harming local ecosystems and reducing habitat quality for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.
On the flip side, because it's grown more naturally, shade-grown coffee is often organic, keeping harmful pesticides out of the environment. One great thing about purchasing coffee that has been certified as "Bird Friendly" is that it's always organic, as this is one of the requirements for certification.
#4. Exploitation of Local Communities
Sun-grown coffee plantations are often linked to the exploitation of labor in ways that significantly harm local workers and their communities. Many of these plantations operate with low wages, poor working conditions, and insufficient labor protections.
For instance, workers are frequently exposed to hazardous pesticides without adequate protective gear, and some are denied access to clean water, sufficient food, or proper housing.
Additionally, debt bondage—where workers must repay housing or food costs deducted from their earnings—is common, effectively trapping them in cycles of poverty.
Migrant and indigenous workers are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of legal documentation or awareness of their rights, which limits their ability to demand fair treatment.
Child labor is also prevalent in coffee production, with children working long hours under harsh conditions. This can have devastating impacts on education and health, perpetuating cycles of poverty. For example, in Brazil, Honduras, and Guatemala, children as young as six have been documented working on coffee farms under exploitative conditions.
Moreover, the displacement of local communities to make way for large coffee plantations compounds these issues. Families are often forced off their land, losing not only their homes but also their means of subsistence, creating further economic and social instability within affected regions.
#5. Inferior coffee!
Lastly, coffee grown in the sun typically doesn't taste as good as coffee grown in the shade.
Here's why:
On sun-grown coffee plantations, the beans are exposed to direct sunlight, which accelerates the ripening process. This faster ripening often leads to beans with less complex flavors because they do not have enough time to develop the nuanced sugars and compounds that contribute to rich, balanced taste profiles.
On the other hand, shade-grown coffee allows the beans to grow and mature naturally.
And while it takes longer, the bean develops more evenly and becomes more saturated with oils and sugars, which leads to a more flavorful coffee.
There are some things you can't rush, and delicious coffee is one of those things!
Isn't it sad that we are willing to sacrifice flavor and destroy millions of acres of the rainforest for a slightly cheaper cup of coffee?
Are you ready to stop drinking sun-grown coffee?
Luckily, with minimal effort, it's easy to find coffee that not only tastes better, but supports, rather than harms ecosystems and communities.
The entire lineup of coffee at Beautiful Beast Coffee Company is grown in the shade. In fact, you will find that most of our coffee has been certified as "Bird Friendly" by the Smithsonian Institution. This certification is the hardest for a coffee farm to obtain, due to it's strict requirements.