ABSTRACT
Introduction Coffee is the world’s second largest trade commodity and, as such, has a profound impact on the lives of nearly half a billion people involved in the industry. At the same time, the link between the coffee market and development is not without problems. The global coffee industry has in the last decade seen major structural changes, involving over-production and new entrants, leading to falling commodity prices and, ultimately, dire social consequences for local producers in the developing world. The word “crisis” is presently permeating the coffee industry, and the challenge is how to revitalize the market.
