Coffee Giants Rule Pricing Landscape
- Share via
The Cup of Excellence focus of the specialty coffee industry is to be expected from this sector: Quality is what is important to the specialty coffee roasters and should be applauded (“Cultivating Change to Take Back the Land,” Dec. 12).
Specialty coffee is still, and will remain, a tiny segment (by dollar volume) of the coffee industry, and unfortunately the Cup of Excellence effect will be similarly minute.
The giants -- Nestle, Kraft Foods Inc., Proctor & Gamble Co. and Sara Lee Corp. (Starbucks Corp. doesn’t come close to entering this category) -- drive the business, and until their downward price stampede is confronted, the farmers will continue to be devastated.
They have turned the farmers’ product into a cup of despair. These companies bear the substantial responsibility for the current coffee farm conditions.
Mark Zuckerman
Culver City
Inside the business of entertainment
The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
