Unfair trade was firmly in the firing line this International Coffee Day as Fairtrade hosted The Fairtrade Comedy Roast, an evening of laughter, conversation and caffeine-fuelled campaigning in London to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight.
Hosted by comedian Cody Dahler, the event featured an exceptional line-up of comedians: Kemah Bob, Kyrah Gray, Daniel Foxx, Raul Kohli and Aurie Styla, and gathered creators, campaigners, artists and coffee lovers to take aim at the absurdities of a global trading system that too often rewards everyone except the people who grow our coffee.
Between laughs, guests heard why millions of coffee farmers continue to face low and unpredictable incomes despite the global popularity of coffee, and why fairer trade is essential to securing the future of the drink.
Guests also met Kenyan Fairtrade coffee farmer Martin Kinyua, who spoke about the impact of low incomes and climate change on coffee farmers, and drew laughs with his candid verdict on the coffee he had drunk on a UK train.
Around 125 million people depend on coffee farming for their livelihoods, yet many survive on just £1 to £2 a day. In Britain, a customer can pay £3.70 for a single cup, while the producer who grew the coffee typically retains only 4pm around 1% of its retail price.
Cody Dahler said: “I’m really excited to host Fairtrade’s Comedy Roast and working alongside a brilliant line-up of comedians to show the absurdities of unfair trade and the global coffee industry. It’s great to be part of a fun evening that brings attention to where our morning coffee comes from.”
Guests from across entertainment, media and food included Drag Race star Ella Vaday, reigning MasterChef champion Jhané Gibson, and food creator Alfie Steiner (@AlfieCooks). The event showed how humour can spark conversations about some of the biggest challenges facing global supply chains and inspire support for a fairer future for coffee producers and their communities.
Zoë Plummer, Head of Marketing at the Fairtrade Foundation and content creator, said: “A comedy roast might not be the obvious way to talk about global trade, but sometimes humour is the best way to get people thinking. Behind every cup of coffee are farmers working hard to grow the beans we rely on every day, yet many are not earning enough to make a decent living. Fairtrade exists to change that, and we’re delighted that so many people joined us to celebrate coffee while standing up for a fairer future for the people who produce it.”
